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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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FhotDgraphic 

Sdences 

Corporalion 


23  WIST  MAIN  STRKT 

WnSTM.N.Y.  MStO 

(716)ll72-4503 


;\ 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Instituta  for  Historical  Microraproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  do  microraproductions  historiquaa 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notat/Notas  tachniquas  at  bibiiographiquas 


Tha  Inatituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  aignificantly  changa 
tha  uoual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


□    Colourad  covara/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I     I   Covars  damagad/ 


D 


D 
D 


D 


D 


Couvartura  andommagAa 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaurAe  et/ou  pellicul6e 


I — I   Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


pn   Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  gAographiquas  en  couieur 

Coloured  init  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couieur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 
Planches  et/ou  illustrations  en  couieur 


0    Bound  with  other  material/ 
ReliA  avac  d'autras  documents 

0    Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serrde  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  de  la 
distortion  le  long  de  la  marge  intArieure 


Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
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have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certaines  pages  blanches  ajouttes 
lors  d'une  restauration  apparaissant  dans  la  taxte, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  ces  pages  n'ont 
pas  At6  filmAas. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentaires  supplAmantaires: 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  meilleur  exempleire 
qu'il  lui  a  AtA  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
da  cat  exempleire  qui  sent  peut-Atre  uniques  du 
point  de  vue  bibliographique.  qui  peuvent  modifier 
une  imege  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dana  la  mAthoda  normaie  de  fiimaga 
sont  indiqute  ci-dessous. 


r~n   Coloured  pages/ 


0 


Pagea  de  couieur 

Pages  dsmaged/ 
Pages  endommegAes 

Pages  restored  and/oi 

Pages  restaurAas  et/ou  peiliculAes 

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Pagas  dAcoiorAas,  tachetAes  ou  piquAes 

Peges  detached/ 
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Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  prin 

QualitA  inAgala  de  i'impression 

Includes  supplementery  meterii 
Comprend  du  metwriei  supplAmentaira 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Adition  disponible 


I — I  Pages  dsmaged/ 

I      I  Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 

r~T|  Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 

I     I  Peges  detached/ 

Fy]  Showthrough/ 

I      I  Quality  of  print  varies/ 

rn  Includes  supplementery  meteriel/ 

r~l  Only  edition  available/ 


Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc..  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalement  ou  partieilement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata.  une  pelure. 
etc..  ont  AtA  filmAes  A  nouveau  de  fapon  A 
obtenir  la  meilleure  imege  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  rAduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

aox 

7 

12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


Th«  copy  filmed  h«r«  has  b««n  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

Nationai  Library  of  Canada 


L'exemplaire  fiimA  f ut  reproduit  grice  h  la 
gAnArosItt  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  are  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


Les  images  suivantes  ont  At*  reprodultes  avec  le 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
de  la  nettetA  de  l'exemplaire  fllmA,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
fllmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimie  sont  filmte  en  commenpant 
par  le  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  solt  par  la 
dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impresslon  ou  d'illustration,  solt  par  le  second 
plat,  salon  le  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  f  ^mte  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impresslon  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — *<>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  — ►  signifle  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifle  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  In  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  Atre 
fiimAs  A  des  taux  de  reduction  diffArents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  ciichA,  11  est  filmA  A  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

'    i 

4 

5 

6 

ii^av.-d  by  J  C  Buurp, 


t  ( 


HlbKjUY 


dM 


OF 


T5E    NAVY 


OK   THE 


UNITED  STATES  OE  AMERICA. 


BY  J.  FENBIORE  COOPKH. 


CONTINUED  TO  ]853. 


t'it^yd  r9U   >    'VHO*  >  .»,;NtiJCRIPTa.  AND  OTHfcU  AUTHENTIC  80UKCEA 


"FTEJ^   VOI.TJSIES   Us    OKI-'.. 


V 


NEW    YORK: 

G.  F.  i'C^'sAhi  *!.   on,  10  PARK  PLACE 


If 


■■^'^'•''t:-'Jp&v;i^^  -^^ 


'  'fl- 


.V  y/^f-y; ,:■?■,:       v„  '■'> .     .  .'..i^ 


\i)y  ^'\ 


HISTORY 


or 


THE   NAYY 


^    H 


or   THB 


ONITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 


BY  J.  FENIMORE  COOPER 


CONTINUED  TO  1863. 


FROM  THE  AUTHOR'S  MANUSCRIPTS,  AND  OTHER  AUTHENTIC  SOURCES. 


THREE  VOLUMES  IN   ONE. 


KEW   YORK: 

G.  P.  PUTNAM  &  CO^  10  PARK  PLACE. 

1853. 


IN 


at  I 


r.'WiT?i;i 


/-, 


64009 


"f 

i. 


■:i  .'. 


SI 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1853,  bjr 

CAROLINE   M.  PHINNEY, 

In  the  Clerk's  office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Northern  District 

of  New  York. 


18 


■^'- 


J 


\3. 


THIS  WORK, 

AN  IMFERFECT  BECORD  OF  THE 

0ERVICEB,  PRIVATIONS,  HAZARDS.  AND  SUFFERINGS  OF  THEMSBLVE0 

AND  THEIR  PREDECESSORS. 

18    OFFERED    AS    A    TRIBUTE    OF    PROFOUND    RESPECT 

TO 
THE   OFFICERS    OF   THE   NAVY, 

INCLDDINO  THOSE  OF 

THE  MARINE  CORPS, 

BY  ONE 

WHO  IS  FDLLY  SENSIBLE  OF  ALL  THEIR  CLAIMS  ON  TBS  REPUBLIC 

rOR  GRATITUDE  ARD  i?:;;U>TICTIO]l. 


H 

i     r: 


I  ;f 


At'i'it^'tti 


ki 


•^. .. .  ♦ 


CONTENTS  TO  VOL.  I. 


I 


CHA.PTEa  I. 

Bspedidon  to  Plymotith  in  the  May  Flower.....St  SaaTenr  radnced Firit  deckTeawl 

oonatmcted Firat  veHel  built  in  Ma8BachaMtta.....HagIi  Peteri  cxccnted  for  high 

treuon.....Fint  tea  fight  of  the  American  coloniea....FirBtrogalarcrai!)orB.....  Firat  reg* 
nlar  naval  combat....Captnre  of  New  NethorlandB.....Fint  veueli  on  Lakea  Onta- 
rio and  Brie First  depredations  of  the  Baccanienln  American  ■eaa.....Firat  attempt 

to  luppreu  piraoy....DiTing  bell  uiied Expedition  againat  Port  Royal against  Q,ae- 

bec....Sir  William  PhippB„...Laanch  of  the  Falkland.     •     ■  .   •.     .     .      Page  12. 

CHAPTER  n. 

Captain  Kidd Population  of  Colonios.....  Attack  on  Charleston  by  the  Spaniards they 

are  repulsed  with  great  loss Port  Royal  rcdaccd its  name  changed  to  Anapolis!.... 

New  Providence  captured Pirates  expelled Fint  negro  slave!)  brought  into  the 

country. . . .Firat  American  vessel  engaged  in  the  slave  trade. . . . The  Whale  Hshories. . . . 
Shippuigof  Maasachnsetta  and  Pennsylvania.... Small  armed  vessels  employed.... 
Wan  between  England  and  Spain  and  France....ei!bcts  on  the  American  colonies.... 
Expedition  against  Lonisbourg.... Vessels  captured.... Acadie  (now  Nova  Scotia) 
oeded  to  England 83 

CHAPTER  m. 

Shipping  of  different  ports,  in  1750— Practice  respecting  Midshipmen— Old  French  War 
—Sharp  conflict  between  the  Thurloe  and  Les  Deux  Amis — Duty  on  stamps  and  tea — 
BamingoftbeGasp<S—Destraotionof  the  tea— Battle  of  Lexington.     •     •     •     33 

-  ■^'  CHAPTER  IV. 

Privateera— Fint  naval  action  of  the  Revolution — Schooner  Lee,  Capt  Manly,  captures 
Uie  English  brig  Nancv— Congress  orders  the  construction  of  vessels  of  war — Appor- 
tionment of  the  first  offlcen  of  the  navy — Its  management — Esek  Hopkins,  Esq.  ap- 
pointed "  Commander  in  Chief — Firat  regular  cruisers— Expedition  of  Commodore 
Hopkin*— Contest  with  the  Qlasgow— The  Edward  captured  by  the  Lexington.      43 

CHAPTER  V. 

Paul  Jones— His  first  cruise  as.  a  Commander^— Additional  vessels  ordered  by  Congresa 
— Law  regulating  the  rank  of  officers — The  Andrea  Doria,  Capt  Biddle,  takes  sev- 
eral prizes — ^The  Defence,  Capt.  Harding,  afler  a  sharp  action,  captures  two  English 
schooners — Cruise  of  the  Providence  and  Alfred — Cruise  of  the  Reprisal  in  Europe— 
Of  tlie  Ticxin^n  do. — Cruises  of  Capt.  Wickea — Lexington  taken — Loss  of  the 
Repruai— GnuaeaofCapt.  Conyngham. 55 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Commodore  Sir  Peter  Parker  attacks  Charleston— Is  repulsed  by  the  Americans— Capt. 
Mngford  captures  the  Hope — The  Sachem,  Capt.  Robinson,  captures  an  English  let- 
ter of  marque— Capt.  R.  put  in  command  of  the  Doria — Captures  the  Racehorse,  ailer 
a  sharp  contest— Confiict  of  American  galleys  with  the  enemy — Capt.  Hudson  of  the 
Ranger  captures  a  British  brig,  after  an  action  of  two  hours— Battle  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain— <}eneral  Arnold — American  privateen 67 

CHAPTER  Vn. 

Successful  cruise  of  the  Randolph British  account  of  the  action,  in  which  she  blew  up 

Loss  of  the  Cabot....The  Trumbull  captures  two  English  transports The  Han- 
cock, Capt.  Manly,  captures  the  Fox,  wnich  is  afterwards  recaptured  off  Halifax 

Capt.  M.  surrenders  his  ship  to  the  British Capt.  McNiel  censured  and  dismissed  the 

service Vessels  destroyed  in  the  Delaware  by  the  Englidi The  Augusta  blown 

«p.....CruiseoftlieRaleigh,aiidher  action  with  the  Druid. 76 


CONTCNTt. 


CIIAPTEll  VIII. 

Animco  with  France Now  fHifaim 8ci«uro  of  New  Providence  by  Cnpt.  Rnih' 

biirno (<'n|ituro  nf  tlio  Alfrtnl Lonh  of  tlin  VirKinin,  Cnpt.  Nichnliuin,  nii  almr  in 

tho  l)t!liiwnro...,Aniericnn  vcaM^U  dofiiroycil  on  tlio  Delaware lolin  I'aiilJoncD  com- 
mand* tlin  Uangor attempt   to  ciintiiru  tliu   Drake to  burn  the  collium  nt  Wbilo- 

haven to  wiio  tbo  Karl  of  Helklrk liU  ronduct  to  Lady  Selkirk action  with, 

■ndcarituro  of  the  Drnkc Tbo  Pii^ol  cut  out  by  Major  TaliKJt Tbo  private  armod 

■bin  Tiiorn,  Ca|it.  Watcro,  engages  tlie  (lovcrnor  Tryon  and  tlio  Sir  William  Er«klnc, 

and  capliircii  tlio  latter Capture  of  ilio  SiMirlin Oapt.  Joliii  Barry,  captures  a  Kritioh 

ncbooncr  and  four  tranNportH....biN  appointment  to  tlio  llaloigh  and  action  witb  tbo 
Kxptirimuut  and  Unicorn Lom  of  tlio  Haleigh. J'agt  84. 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Tbo  Alliance  >ini1i  with  Lnfayrtto  for  Frnnco....coniipiracy  on  board..,.Action  of  tbo 
Hampden  witb  an  Indiaman....Nlno  Ilritiih  vchkoIn  captured,  and  twonty-four  Britiib 
ofHcerHmadn  prirtonera,  by  Capt.  Hopklnn.... Valuable  prizcii  sent  into  UuHtoii  by  Capt. 
Wbip[)le....Tbo  Canibcrland,  Capt.  Manly,  in  coptuied  by  tbo  Pomona  frii{ate....CBpt. 
Manly  ill  tlioj)rivato  armed  Hbip  Janon,  engages  witb,  and  canturca  two  Uriti8h  priva- 
teers....DeHcription  of  tbo  Bon  Homme  llicbard.... Capture  of  a  letter  of  maniuo,  by  Paul 
Jonea... .Disobedience  of  ordorn,  by  dipt.  Landais  of  the  Alliance.. ..Cajit  Lawrence 
takes  command  of  the  Cbcaapeake.... Action  of  tbo  Bon  Homme  llioburd  with,  and 
capture  of  tho  Serapi8....Capt.  Landuis  tirca  into  the  Eichard....Bho  links;      -      •     94. 

CHAPTER  X. 

Arrival  of  tbo  Scropis  in  Holland— Paul  Jones  takes  command  of  tho  Alliance,  and  is 
forced  to  put  to  sea — Capt.  Landais  is  diaclmrged  tbo  navy — Comniodoro  Jones  in 
tho  Ariel  returns  to  America — Sketch  of  bis  life — Volo  of  tlianks  by  Congress — Re- 
ceives command  of  tbo  America — Several  captures  by  tho  Dcano,^  Copt.  Sanraol 
Nicholson — Capture  of  tbo  Active— Action  with  tbo  Dufl— Expedition  a£ 


British  post  on  tho  Penobscot — Loss  of  all  tho  vessels  engaged  therein. 

CHAPTER  XL 


against  tho 
115. 


Attack  on  and  redaction  of  Charleston — Capture  of  tho  Boston — tho  Providence— tho 
tbo  Queen  of  France — nnd  the  Hongcr— Action  between  the  Trumbull  and  the  letter 
of  marquo  Watt — The  Sarotoga,  Capt.  Young,  captures  the  Charming  Molly  and  two 
brigs — they  are  retaken  by  the  Intrepid — the  Saratoga  founders  at  sea — Tbo  Alliance, 
Capt.  John  Barry,  captures  the  Alert,  Mars,  and  Minerva— her  action  with  and  capture 
of  tbo  Atalanla  and  Trepassy — action  off  Havanna — Tbo  Confederacy  captured  by 
the  BritiHb — Action  with  tbo  Iris  and  loss  of  tho  Trumbull — Sketch  of  Capt.  James 
Nicholson — Capture  of  the  Savoge  by  the  Congress,  Capt.  Geddes — Three  sloops  of 
war  and  several  cruisers,  captured  by  tho  Deanc,  Capt.  Nicholson.      •     .      .      191. 

CHAPTER  XIL 

The  Hyder  Ally,  Capt.  Joshua  Barney,  sails  with  convoy  down  the  Delaware — action 
witb,  and  capture  of  the  General  Monk — be  commands  the  Washington — Commodore 
Oillon  goes  to  Europe  to  purchase  vcMclu — agrees  for  tho  Indien — makes  a  cruise  and 
captures  ten  sail — Capture  of  the  Indien — 6no  of  tho  most  desperote  defences  on 
record,  by  Capt.  Murray — Close  of  naval  events  connected  witb  tho  Revolution:  .130. 


Nl 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Brief  review — List  of  vessels  in  the  navy  between  1775  and  '83,  and  the  fate  of  each — 
Description  of  tlie  America  74 — she  is  presented  to  tho  king  of  France — Capt.  Manly, 
anecdote  of  his  first  capture — Capture  and  imprisonment  of  Capt.  Conyngham — Most 
distinguished  naval  officers  of  the  Revolution-— Tho  American  marine— -its  difflculties— 
Crew  of  a  vessel  of  war— -its  composition — Congress  establishes  a  marine  corps— -List 
of  officers  first  appointed— value  of  the  corps — What  vessel  first  carried  tho  Ameri- 
can flag. 137. 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

First  vessel  to  China — Adoption  of  the  Union — its  effect  on  the  navy — Difficulties  with 
the  Dey  of  Algiers-— John  PaulJones  appointed  consul— -Hie  death  at  Paris— Capture 
pf  American  vessels  by  an  Algerino  squadron- — Warlike  preparations— Mr.  Hum. 
phrey'8  models  for  six  new  frigates  accepted—the  improvements  described— -Notice 
of  (he  conmianders  Bclected-— T^reaty  witn  Algiers—The  Crescent  made  a  present  to 


CONTENTi. 


VH 


lh«  Doy--Sinn;uInr  oxlrnrt  Tidm  a  joiirnnl  rcuportlng  hor  frolHhl— rronHi  aumrn. 
iiiont— ■Lniiiun  nfllio  United  Htatrv,  tlio  (^oiimitutluii,  nml  llio  iJoiiitcllatioii— Niivy 


do|inrtmciit  ('i-i-nU''(l-"-Tli«cn|i(iiroi)r  Fiimu'Ii  ci'iiiiiri-NaulliorlaCfl  bylaw- 
corpa  ealablwhod— •Wliolo  aulhuriavd  Ibrcc  u(  Uiu  imvy. 

CHAPTER  XV. 


•-Nownmrlho 
.      •     HC. 


Tho  GanRca,  Capt.  Richard  Dale,  la  broiit^ht  into  tho  acrvjco  withoi^cra  to  capture  nil 

French  crulwjra&r Canturo  of  Lo  CiMynl)i»!,  by  tho  Uclnwarn,  Capl.  Uo('ntur....Nn' 

vul  forco  at  M<iii....Atluir()f  thu  Hulliniarc  nnd  tliu  Dritiiili  xliip  Curnaiicl(....Fivc  of  tho 
Raltimoru'M  crow  nro  iinprcaitod  and  tlircu  oilier  convoy  captured.. ..Ciipt.  Phillipa  of 
tliu  Raltiniore,  di<iniii<iM<d  from  tho  navy..,.Diirorenl  opinion*  roHpcctinK  lii^  conduct.... 
Capturu  of  tlio  R(!talintion,  Lieut.  lininhridKo,  by  (ho  Volontniro  and  lniurKcnte....Ka- 
capo  of  the  Montezuma  ond  Norfolk...,Ruturu  aud  pronioliou  of  Lieut.  Uainbridge.... 
Captures  of  tho  tiaitaPurvil  and  Juloux 104 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

Naval  force — Cliaraclcrof  tho  diflcrcnt  vcaaolii — their  distribution  in  tho  service — Cap- 
turcH  made  by  tl)u  rcHpcclivo  sqtiadrons — Tho  Constitution,  Com.  Truxtun,  captures 
I'lnsiir^ento— Critical  situation  of  tho  prize  crow — Action  of  the  Constitution  with 
La  Vengeance — LoHsof  niidshinman  J^urvis — Com.  Traxtun  receives  a  cold  medal- 
Exploit  of  Lieut.  Hull — LoMof  I'lnsurgcnto  and  tho  Pickering  with  all  tneir  crews — 
Captures  by  the  Enterprise,  Lieut.  Cimidt.  8haw— by  tho  Koston,  Capt.  Little— Hrief 
catalogue  of  prizes  taken  on  tho  West  India  station — Spirited  engagement  of  the  Ex- 

Eeriment,  Lieut.  Comdt.  Matey,  with  the  picaroons— Lieut. Comdt.  Slewiut  copturestho 
)eux  Amis  and  la  Diane — ^his  nnrortrnato  engagement  with  the  (British  jirivatcer) 
Louisa  Bridgcr — Capt.  Uainbridge,  in  the  George  Washington,  goes  to  Algiers  with 
tribute — Tho  demands  oi^  theDey — Capt.  B.'s  decision — ho  forces  through  tho  Darda- 
nelles—his reception  at  Constantinople — return  to  Algiers — handsome  conduct  to  tho 
French — ho  rotarus  homo  and  is  transferred  to  tho  }  jx— Peace  concluded  with 
France.      -      - 165. 

CHAPTER  XVn. 

Reduction  of  tho  navy— Tho  navy  as  rodared — Vessels  sold— Of  tho  war  with  Franco 
aa  it  affected  tho  navy — Gallant  defence  of  tho  Louisa. 190. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Assumptions  of  tho  Bashaw  of  Tripoli — Tho  American  flag-stoiT  is  cat  down — A  squad- 
ron is  fitted  out  under  Com.  Dale — His  instructions — Action  with,  and  capture  of  tho 
ship  Tripoli,  by  Lieut.  Comdt.  Slerrett — Com.  Dale  overhauls  a  Greek  vessel — takes 
out  an  oUicer  und  twenty  Tripolitan  soldiers — altemj)ts  an  exchange  of  prisoners— 
The  President  is  near  being  lost— Leaving  the  Philudelphia  and  the  Essex,  Com.  Dale 
proceeds  home.     --.■. 197. 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

Mediterranean  squadron,  under  Com.  Morris — H(  ^iijnation  of  Com.  Tmxtun — Sketch 
of  his  life — The  Boston,  Capt.  M'Niell,  carries  out  Mr.  Livingston  minister  to  France- 
joins  the  MediteiTaneon  squadron — Notice  of  Capt.  M'Niell — Attack  on  gun-boats  off 
Tripoli — Explosion  on  board  tho  New  York — Intrepid  conduct  of  Capt.  Chauncey — 
The  John  Adams,  Cnpt.  Rodgcrs,  blockades  Tripoli — detains  the  Meshouda — Bravery 
of  Capt.  Porter  at  Old  Tripoli — description  of  the  town  and  port — Unsucces.sful  attempt 
to  negotiate  a  peace — Attack  on  a  Tripolitan  corsair,  by  Capt.  Rodgers — After  a  smart 
cannonade  she  blows  up — Recall  of  Com,  Morris — He  is  dismissed  from  tho  navy — 
Remarks— Sketch  of  his  life — Notice  of  Com.  Barry — ofCom.Dale.      •      •      -     204. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

Pour  small  cruisers  built — Mediterranean,  squadron,  under  Com.  Preble — Capt.  Bain- 
bridge  takes  the  Barbary  cruiser,  Meshboha — afterwards  re-takes  her  prize  the  Celia 
of  Boston — Difiiculties  with  Morocco  settled — Remarks  on  the  appointment  of  Com. 
Preble — Anecdote  respecting  him.      • 218. 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

Blockade  of  Tripoli  resumed— Loss  of  the  Philadelphia  on  a  reef— Captain  Bainbridge 
and  all  bis  crew  made  prisoners— List  of  the  officers'  names — Humane  conduct  of  Mr. 
Nissen,  the  Danish  consul — The  Philadelphia  is  got  oJFby  tho  enemy — her  guns  and 
anchors  weighed— Capture  of  the  ketch  Mastico,  by  Lieut.  Comdt.  Decatur — His 


«''l 


YIU 


CONTENTS. 


/ 


If  , 

m 

|; 


nnaacoessfol  Mtempt  to  destroy  the  Philadelphia— Hia  aeoond  attemptp-t-Mr.  Chariea 
Morrii  ia  the  fint  on  her  dei^--She  ia  recaptured  and  burnt— Lient.  Comdt.  Decatur 
ia  raiaed  to  the  rank  of  Captain. 881 


CHAPTER  XXn. 


-^iv  K-;  ',>  t 


The  Mediterranean  Minadron  ia  re-inforced— Capture  of  the  Transfer,  by  the  Siren 
Lieut  Com«lt  Stewart— AsaLrtance  obtained  from  the  Two  Sicilies— Firat  bombard< 
ment  of  Tripoli — ^Attack  on  the  enemy's  gnn-boata — Fierce  combat  and  capture  of 
two  boats,  by  Lieut.  Comdt.  Decatur — Lieut.  Jamea  Decatur,  of  the  Nautilus, Idlled— 
Ghdiant  conduct  of  Lieut.  Trippe — he  captures  one  of  the  largest  gnn-boata — Bally  of 
the  enemy— they  are  driven  back 835. 

CHAPTER  XXin. 

Capt.  Morris  boards  and  carries  a  French  privateer  ^  surprise — ^Three  captured  gun- 
boats brought  into  service — Second  bombardment— Qun-boat,  No.  8,  blown  up— Lieut. 
Caldwell  and  Mr.  Kennedy  amoi^  the  killed — Notice  of  Mr.  Kennedy — Arrival  of  the 
John  Adams  Capt.  Chauncey — The  Bashaw  is  disposed  to  treat— his  propodtiona 
rejected— Third  bombardment,  without  effect— Fourth  bombardment— does  much 
injury  to  the  town — Capt  Bainbridge  (a  prisoner  in  the  castle)  is  wounded  in  his  bed 
by  the  rebound  of  a  shot — Fifth  bombardment — New  disposition  of  tlie  forces — ^The 
enemy's  batteries  silenced  by  the  brisk  fire  of  the  Constitution 845. 

■  CHAPTER  XXIV. 

New  species  of  annoyance  to  the  enemy— The  "  Infernal"— Equipment  of  the  ketch 
Intrepid— she  is  sent  into  the  harbour  of  Tripoli — die  blows  up  with  all  her  crew — Prob- 
able causes  of  the  disaster — Private  journal  of  Capt  Bainbridge — The  President,  Com. 
Barron,  rejoins  the  squadron — The  command  is  transferred  to  Com.  B. — Capture 
of  two  sail  loaded  with  wheat— Com.  Preble  returns  to  the  United  States — Capt. 
Richard  Somers— sketch  of  Lis  life. 858. 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Force  of  the  An.erican  squao.'on  nnder  Com.  Barron — Avigonrons  blockade  keptnp— 
Movement  hy  land — Hamet  Caramalli,  brother  of  the  Bashaw,  nnites  with  the  Ameri- 
cans under 'General  Eaton — Attack  on  Dome — Its  submission — The  authority  of 
Caramalli  partially  acknowledged — General  Eaton  presses  Com.  Barron  for  rein- 
forcements to  march  on  Tripoli — ^he  is  denied — The  decision  of  Com.  Barron  con- 
sidered— He  formally  transfers  the  command  to  Capt  John  Bodgers — The  entire  force 
under  this  new  disposition — Peace  concluded  witn  Tripoli. — Influence  of  the  war  on 
the  fortunes  and  character  of  the  navy. 861. 


..*■ 


'^  -h 


■m«m.M- 


PREFACE. 


«'. 


• » 


tr 


'  V  ' 


The  author  of  this  History  of  the  Navy  of  the  United  States,  in 
submitting  a  new  edition  to  the  decision  of  the  public,  has  endeav- 
oured to  make  it  as  accurate,  as  further  investigation,  and  increased 
Kieans  of  acquiring  information  wilt  allow.  The  writer  of  a  work 
of  this  particular  character  has  two  great  sources  of  facts  to  distrust, 
and  in  some  measure  to  resist :  the  partialities  of  personal  friends 
and  connections,  who  so  often  regard  merit  with  the  exaggerations 
of  private  feeling,  and  the  strong  disposition  there  is  in  all  communi- 
ties, to  countenance  self  esteem,  even  at  the  expense  of  truth.  These 
difficulties  have  been  kept  in  view,  and  it  is  hoped  that  this  book  is 
as  free  from  errours  derived  from  such  weaknesses  as  can  well  be  ex- 
pected, under  the  ordinary  failings  of  humanity. 

It  wouli-  be  much  easier  to  write  a  book  on  the  subject  of  the  navy, 
that  should  meet  the  longings  of  national  vanity,  than  to  write  one 
which  shall  meet  the  requirements  of  truth.  The  country  is  filled 
with  false  and  exaggerated  statements  concerning  the  exploits  of 
both  its  army  and  its  navy,  and  the  author  who  should  choose  to 
accept  them  for  facts,  would  have  no  difiiculty  in  referring  to  his  au- 
thorities, though  they  would  be  authorities  entitled  to  little  respect. 
The  author  has  preferred  to  make  an  effort  to  obtain  the  truth,  and, 
while  he  still  admits  his  liability  to  fall  into  errour,  he  hopes  that  a 
nearer  approach  to  that  desirable  quality  has  been  made  in  this,  than 
in  either  of  the  previous  editions. 

The  new  matter  introduced  into  this  edition,  has  been  obtained 
from  sources  that  are  believed  to  be  authentic.  It  is  considerable  in 
amount,  and  in  several  instances  of  importance;  though  so  much 
dispersed  through  the  two  volumes,  as  probably  to  escape  the  atten- 
tion of  cursory  examination.  As  instances  of  its  value,  we  refer  to 
the  capture  of  the  Hancock,  32,  during  the  war  of  the  revolution ;  to 
the  loss  of  the  two  sloops  on  Lake  Champlain,  in  1813 ;  to  that  ot 
the  two  schooners  on  Lake  Ontario,  in  1813,  and  to  several  other 
similar  events.  The  corrections  in  dates  and  minor  incidents,  will 
not  be  apt  to  strike  the  eye  at  first,  but  the  importance  of  accuracy  in 
such  matters  will  be  readily  admitted. 

It  is  repeated,  that  exaggerations,  whether  of  fact  or  manner,  have 
been  regarded  as  out  of  place  in  history.  The  navy  of  this  country 
does  not  stand  in  need  of  such  assistants,  to  command  the  esteem,  or 
the  admiration  of  the  world.    From  the  hour  when  it  was  first  called 


PREFACE. 


7 '-:; 


into  existence,  during  the  arduous  struggles  of  a  most  important  revo- 
lution, down  to  the  present  moment,  its  services  have  been  material  and 
brilliant,  and  he  is  but  an  equivocal  friend  who  shall  attempttocon- 
ceal  its  real  exploits  behind  the  veil  of  flattery.  Such  expedients  may 
serve  a  purpose,  and  answer  for  a  time ;  but,  in  the  end,  the  truth 
will  be  certain  to  assert,  and  to  recover,  its  ascendency. 

As  an  instance  of  what  is  meant,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  ac- 
count of  the  loss  of  the  Intrepid,  before  Tripoli,  in  the  year  1804. 
Popular  delusion,  in  this  instance,  has  been  supported  by  evidence 
better  than  common,  in  supposing  that  Somers,  and  his  gallant  com- 
panions, blew  themselves  up.  We  think  this  an  errour,  though- it  is 
an  errour  into  which  Preble,  himself,  would  seem  to  have  fallen. 
That  which  we  have  believed  we  have  not  hesitated  to  record,  and 
our  statements  must  stand,  or  fall,  by  the  evidence  and  reasoning  (hat 
have  been  adduced  in  their  support.  "Without  entering  into  the  dis- 
cussion of  the  question  of  how  far  any  man  would  be  justified  in  de- 
stroying himself,  and  those  under  his  orders,  to  avoid  capture,  we 
have  given  what  we  regard  as  unanswerable  proof  that  the  ketch 
was  in  no  immediate  danger  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy, 
when  she  blew  up,  and  that  the  contingency  which  has  been  popu- 
larly urged  as  the  justification  of  Somers'  supposed  self-destruction, 
had  not  even  occurred. 

In  the  instances  of  the  victories  of  the  Constellation,  United  States, 
Constitution,  Lake  Erie,  &c.,  we  have  not  hesitated  to  resist  errour 
on  the  subject  of  superiority  of  force,  believing  it  to  be  a  far  higher 
duty  to  record  that  which  we  feel  certain  to  be  true,  than  to  record 
that  which  may  be  momentarily  agreeable.  Conscious  of  having 
maintained  a  scrupulous  impartiality  on  this  subject,  we  Wish  to 
be  judged  by  our  whole  work,  and  not  by  isolated  instances,  dragged 
from  out  the  mass,  by  the  desire  of  individuals  to  monopolise  the 
renowii  of  the  entire  service.  We  believe  that  the  navy,  itself,  ap- 
preciates the  justice  of  our  course,  while  it  both  sees  and  feels  the 
designs  of  those  who  have  opposed  it.  ;  ^ 

The  country  appears  to  be  touching  on  great  events.  A  war  has 
commenced  among  us,  which,  thougrh  scarcely  of  a  maritime  char- 
acter, in  itself,  must  give  extensive  employment  to  the  national 
marine,  and  may  indeed  demand,  in  the  end,  the  exercise  of  all  its 
energies.  The  Navy  of  the  United  States  presents  a  very  different 
aspect,  in  1846,  from  that  which  it  offered  in  1815.  Its  existence 
has  been  trebled  as  to  time,  within  the  last  thirty  years,  and  its  force 
increased  fifty  fold.  Though  far  from  being  yet,  what  prudence 
would  have  dictated,  and  the  wants  of  the  republic  actually  de- 
mand, it  can  now  bring  its  fleet  into  line,  and  exercise  a  most  essen- 
tial influence  on  the  result  of  any  conflict.    As  respects  the  navies 


oftl 
oftl 
esp 
to  et 
ofth 
to  lie 
been 
the 
ofth 
grea 
half 
to  hi 
difi'e 

Coo 


■f    .^M: 


PREFACE. 


of  this  hemisphere,  it  is  supreme ;  the  united  marines  of  all  the  rest 
of  this  continent  being  unable  to  contend  against  it,  for  an  hour.  As 
espects  the  three  great  maritime  States  of  Europe,  though  inferior 
to  each  in  vessels,  it  can  scarcely  be  called  inferior  to  more  than  one 
of  them  in  resources;  while  in  character,  skill  and  hopes,  it  is  second 
to  lio  other  service  on  earth.  These  are  great  changes,  and  all  has 
been  effected  within  the  limits  of  a  single  life.  What  is  to  succeed  in 
the  last  half  of  this  century,  may  be  dimly  shadowed  forth,  by  the  aid 
of  the  images  of  the  past.  Divine  Providence  controuls  all  for  its  own 
great  ends ;  but,  should  its  laws  work  as  they  have  done  for  the  last 
half  century,  the  historian  of  the  American  Navy,  who  shall  sit  down 
to  his  labours  in  the  year  1900,  will  have  a  task  before  him  veiy 
different  from  that  which  has  fallen  to  our  share. 


]    y. 


I 


I    i 
i 


Cooperstown,  1846. 


«'•'.. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  CONTINUATION. 


hH 


Thk  continaation  of  this  work  has  been  prepared  from  unfinished  manuscripts, 
documents,  eta,  left  by  Mr.  Cooper,  and  from  other  most  reliable  and  authentic 
sources,  published,  documentary  and  personal  Free  access  has  been  had  to  the 
archives  of  the  Navy  Department;  and  to  the  papers  of  actors  in  some  of  the 
scenes  recorded:  in  addition  to  ■which,  the  •whole  has  been  carefully  revised, 
especially  in  the  portions  within  their  personal  knowledge,  by  several  ofScers  of 
the  Navy,  whose  familiarity  with  its  history,  as  well  as  their  age,  rank  and  position, 
rendered  their  aid  of  the  highest  value. 

Although  the  writer  has  aimed  only  at  a  plain  narrative  of  facts,  he  has  felt,  .,. 
with  the  members  of  Mr.  Cooper's  family  who  in  the  discharge  of  their  responsi- 
bility have  devolved  the  preparation  of  this  edition  upon  him,  that  it  was  due  to 
the  subject  and  the  author  that  no  time  nor  pains  should  be  spared  to  complete 
fais  design  of  making  it  a  correct  history  of  the  navy  to  the  present  day.*  With 
this  view,  and  after  careful  research,  it  is  hoped  that  no  error  or  omission  of  con- 
sequence  has  occurred. 

The  first  edition  of  the  Naval  History  appeared  in  1839,  in  two  octavo  volumes, 
which  were  immediately  republished  in  London,  Paris,  and  Brussels.  Besides  the 
subsequent  reprints  here  of  this  edition,  an  abridgment  was  prepared  by  the  au- 
thor in  1841,  omitting  the  documents  and  more  elaborate  reasoning.  In  1846  he 
revised  the  unabridged  work,  correcting,  condensing,  rewriting  in  part,  and  adding 
considerable  new  matter.  This  copy,  embracing  the  history  to  1815,  with  his  latest 
emendations,  is  followed  in  the  present  edition. 

In  1851,  having  for  some  time  accumulated  materials,  he  commenced  the  con- 
tinuation of  the  history ;  but,  after  preparing  only  the  portion  upon  the  Mexican 
war,  which  is  designated  in  its  place,  he  was  interrupted  by  the  illness  which  re- 
sulted in  his  death,  Sept.  14,  1851. 

Cooperstown^  Sept.,  1853. 


•  In  addition  to  this  worlc,  Mr.  CJooper  is  the  author  of  two  volumes  of  Livxs  of  DiSTiNOinsH- 
ED  Naval  OrpicERs,  to  which,  since  iiis  death,  is  added  tils  history  of  the  old  sliip  Constitdtion, 
more  familiarly  known  as  Old  Ibonbides. 


'jH-.*'  ,.'r. .;,,■•;  '  .■' 


NAVAL   HISTORY 


or  THE 


UNITED  STATES. 


i  I  ; 
'  I  ■  ■ 

\w..   i. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Dxpedidon  to  Flymoxith  in  the  May  Flower.....St.  Saarenr  redaced First  deck  Teasel 

constnicted First   vessel  built  in  Massacbu8ettB.....Hagh  Peters  executed  ibr  high 

treason First  sea  iight  of  tbe  American  colonies....First  regular  cruisers First  reg- 
ular naval  combat....Gapture  of  New  Netherlands First  vessels  on  Lakes  Onta- 
rio and  Erie First  depredations  of  the  Buccaniers  in  American  seas.....First  attempt 

to  suppress  piracy::::Diving  bell  used::::;Expedition  against  Fort  iU>yaL.«.against  due- 
bec....Sir  William  Phipps.....Laaiich  of  the  Falkland Page  13. 

The  empire  of  Great  Britain,  much  the  most  powerful  state  of 
modern  times,  has  been  gradually  and  progressively  advancing  to  its 
present  high  degree  of  maritime  prosperity,  and  its  actual  condition 
ought  to  be  considered  the  result  of  moral  instead  of  physical  causes, 
though  the  latter  is  probably  the  more  prevalent  opinion.  Notwith- 
standing the  insular  position  of  its  seat  of  authority,  the  naval  as- 
cendency of  England  is  of  comparatively  recent  date ;  Spain,  and 
even  the  diminutive  communities  of  Portugal  and  Holland,  mani- 
festing as  great,  if  not  a  greater  spirit  of  lofly  nautical  enterprise 
than  the  islanders  themselves,  during  the  century  and  a  heilf  that 
succeeded  the  important  discovery  of  the  western  hemisphere,  and 
that  of  a  passage  by  sea  to  India.  While  these  three  nations  were 
colonising  extensively,  and  laying  the  foundations  of  future  states, 
the  seamen  of  England  expended  their  energies  in  predatory  ex- 
peditions that  were  rapacious  in  their  object  and  piratical  in  spirit 
Familiar  political  causes,  beyond  a  question,  had  an  influence  in 
bringing  about  these  results ;  for,  while  the  accession  of  the  House 
of  Hapsbourg  to  the  throne  of  Spain  and  the  Indies,  created  a  power 
able  to  cope  with  Europe,  as  it  then  existed,  England,  driven  entirely 
from  her  continental  possessions,  had  Scotland  for  a  troublesome 
neighbour,  and  Ireland  for  a  discontented  and  turbulent  subject,  to 
check  her  efforts  abroad.  It  is  probable,  too,  that  the  civil  contests, 
in  which  England  was  eo  long  engaged,  had  a  serious  effect  on  her 
naval  advancement,  and  the  struggle  that  succeeded  the  dethronement 
of  the  family  of  Stuart,  could  not  fail  to  lessen  exertions  that  were 
directed  to  interests  without  the  territory  more  immediately  in  dispute. 
As  a  consequence  of  all  these  causes,  or  of  that  portion  of  them  which 
was  in  existence  at  the  commencement  of  the  seventeenth  century, 
when  England  seriously  commenced  the  business  of  colonisation, 


(?'' 


14 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1607-20. 


Spain,  France  and  Portugal  were  already  in  possession  of  whot  were 
then  considered  the  most  favorable  regions  on  the  American  conti* 
nent.  When,  indeed,  the  experiment  was  finally  and  successfully 
made,  individual  enterprise,  rather  than  that  of  the  government, 
achieved  the  object ;  and  for  many  years  the  power  of  the  crown  was 
exercised  with  no  other  aim  than  to  afford  an  ill-regulated,  and  fre* 
quently  an  insufficient  protection.  It  was  Englishmen,  and  not 
England,  that  founded  the  country  which  is  now  known  as  the 
United  States  of  America. 

It  would  exceed  the  proper  bounds  of  a  work  of  this  nature,  were 
we  to  enter  into  a  detailed  account  of  the  events  connected  with  the 
settlements  in  Virginia  and  Massachusetts.  The  first  permanent 
establishment  was  made  in  the  former  colony,  during  the  year  1607, 
and  that  at  Plymouth  followed  in  1620.  Nothing  could  be  less  alike 
than  the  motives  which  influenced  the  adventurers  in  these  two 
enterprises,  out  of  which  has  virtually  arisen,  within  the  short  space 
of  little  more  than  two  centuries,  a  Republic  that  has  already  taken 
its  place  among  the  great  powers  of  Christendom,  and  which  has 
only  to  be  true  to  itself  and  to  its  predominant  principles,  to  stand 
foremost  in  the  ranks  of  nations.  Those  who  cast  their  fortunes  on 
the  fertile  shores  of  the  waters  of  the  Chesapeake  sought  worldly  ad- 
vancement for  themselves,  an  affluence  for  their  posterity,  while  the 
Pilgrims,  as  it  has  become  usual  to  term  them  the  parent  stock  of 
New  England,  landed  in  quest  of  an  asylum,  where  they  might  erect 
their  altars,  undisturbed  by  the  temporal  power  that  profaned  the 
rites  of  the  church  in  the  old  world.  Natural  affinities  attracted  like 
to  like,  and  for  quite  a  century  the  emigrants  from  Europe  partook 
of  the  distinctive  traits  of  the  original  colonists  ;  the  one  portion  of 
the  country  being  distinguished  for  the  gay  and  reckless  usages  of 
successful  pecuniary  adventure,  and  the  other  for  the  more  sobered 
and  reflecting  habits  of  severe  moral  training,  and  an  industry  that 
was  stimulated  by  necessity  and  tempered  by  prudence.  The  dis- 
tinction did  not  end  here.  If  the  one  carried  liberality  and  thought- 
lessness to  the  verge  of  indiscretion,  the  other  substituted  fanaticism 
and  bigotry  for  the  mild  and  affectionate  tenets  of  Christianity.  It 
is  not  easy  to  say  what  might  have  been  the  consequence  of  the  prox- 
imity of  two  establishments  influenced  by  characters  and  modes  of 
thinking  so  antagonist,  had  not  the  conquest  of  the  Dutch  territories 
of  New  York  bound  them  together,  by  the  means  of  a  people  who 
came  from  England  at  a  later  day,  and  who  brought  with  them  most 
of  the  national  traits,  less  influenced  by  exaggerations  and  accidents. 
The  result  has  been  an  amalgamation  that  is  fast  wearing  off  asperi- 
ties, and  which  promises,  at  no  distant  period,  to  produce  a  homo- 
geneity of  character  that  it  is  not  usual  to  find  in  any  great  and 
numerous  people. 

The  vessels  employed  in  the  earliest  communications  between  the 
iColonies  and  the  mother  country,  were  small,  varying  from  fifty  to 
two  hundred  tons  in  burthen.  The  expedition  to  Plymouth  was  first 
attempted  in  the  May  Flower,  a  bark  of  one  hundred  and  eighty 
ions  and  the  Speedwell  of  sixty  tons;  but  the  latter  proving  leaky, 


1613-14.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


15 


after  twice  returning  to  port  to  refit,  was  abandoned,  and  the  voyage 
was  made  in  the  former  vessel  alone.  That  to  Virginia  under  New- 
port, consumed  four  months,  a  delay  that  was  owing  to  its  i  eering 
south  until  the  trades  were  struck,  a  practice  which  prevailed  among 
most  of  the  navigators  to  the  new  world,  for  a  longtime  subsequently 
to  the  discoveries  of  Columbus,  who  had  himself  been  favoured  by 
those  constant  winds.  The  May  Flower  sailed  from  Plymouth,  in 
England,  on  the  6th  of  September,  and,  after  a  stormy  passage, 
made  Cape  Cod  on  the  9th  of  November.  As  it  had  been  the 
intention  of  those  on  board  to  go  further  south,  it  is  probable  that 
they  met  with  southwest  winds  and  currents,  with  a  northeasterly 
set,  in  the  American  seas. 

The  first  conflict  that  took  place  between  the  colonists  and  any 
of  their  civilised  neighbours,  occurred  in  1613,  when  an  expedition 
from  Virginia,  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Samuel  Argal,  arriving 
on  the  coast  of  Nova  Scotia,  made  an  attack  on  the  new  French 
post  of  St.  Sauveur,  which  was  reduced  without  difiiculty.  Argal 
had  eleven  vessels  with  him,  most  of  which,  however,  were  quite 
small,  and  his  armaments  amounted  in  the  whole  to  fourteen  light 
guns«  The  French  were  entirely  without  artillery.  The  avowed 
object  of  this  enterprise  was  fishing,  but  the  armament  has  induced 
a  suspicion  that  the  end  actually  efiected  was  also  kept  in  view. 
Whatever  might  have  been  the  intention  in  fitting  out  the  first  force 
under  Captain  Argal,  it  is  quite  certain,  that,  on  his  return  to  Virginia, 
he  was  formally  sent  against  the  French  in  Acadie,  with  three  vessels, 
better  prepared,  and  that  he  laid  waste  the  whole  of  their  posses- 
sions. Both  of  these  occurrences  took  place  in  a  time  of  profound 
peace,  and  grew  out  of  a  pretension  on  the  part  of  the  English,  to 
the  possession  of  the  whole  coast,  as  far  north  as  the  46th  degree 
of  latitude. 

On  his  return  to  Virginia,  Captain  Argal  entered  the  bay  of  New 
York,  and  demanded  possession  of  that  territory  also,  under  the  plea 
that  it  had  been  discovered  by  an  Englishman.  Hendrick  Christaens, 
whom  Argal  styled  "a  pretended  Dutch  Governor,"  had  no  force  to 
resist  such  a  claim,  and  was  compelled  to  submit.  On  the  return  to 
Virginia,  one  of  the  three  vessels  employed  in  this  expedition  was 
lost,  and  another  having  been  driven  as  far  east  as  the  Azores,  pro- 
ceeded to  England,  while  Captain  Argal  alone  got  into  the  Chesa- 
peake. The  prisoners  taken  on  this  occasion  narrowly  escaped 
being  executed  as  pirates ! 

This  was  the  first  warlike  maritime  expedition  attempted  by  the 
American  colonists,  if  a  few  parties  sent  in  boats  against  the  savages 
be  excepted.  The  Dutch  were  not  dispossessed  by  the  useless  attempt 
on  their  settlement,  which  appears  to  have  been  viewed  more  as  a 
protest  than  a  conquest,  for  they  continued  to  increase  and  to  govern 
themselves  for  near  half  a  century  longer.  The  first  decked  vessel 
built  within  the  old  United  States,  of  which  we  have  any  account, 
was  constructed  by  Schipper  Adrian  Block,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Hudson,  and  probably  within  the  present  limits  of  New  York,  during 
the  summer  of  1614.    This  vessel  De  Laet  terms  a  "  yacht,"  and 


m 

m 
'f-j 


.  f 


m 


16 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1614 


I -I 


describes  as  having  been  of  the  dimensions  of  thirty-eight  feet  kael, 
forty-four  and  a  half  feet  on  deck,  and  eleven  feet  beam.  In  this 
**  yacht"  Block  passed  through  Hell  Gate,  into  the  Sound,  and 
steering  eastward,  he  discovered  a  small  island,  which  he  named 
after  himself ;  going  as  far  as  Cape  God,  by  the  way  of  the  Vineyard 
passage. 

According  to  the  same  authority,  the  Dutch  at  New  Amsterdam, 
who  had  constructed  a  fort,  and  reinforced  their  colony,  soon  after 
built  many  more  small  vessels,  sloops  and  periaguas,  opening  a  trade 
with  the  savuges,  by  means  of  the  numerous  bays,  sounds,  and  riven 
of  their  territory.  ?    >  ';    •   *,  - 

It  was  also  in  1614,  that  the  celebrated  Capt.  John  Smith  arrived 
from  England,  and  sailed  on  a  coasting  voyage,  with  the  double 
purpose  of  trade  and  discovery.  He  went  himself  in  a  boat,  having 
a  crew  of  only  eight  men,  and  the  profits,  as  well  as  the  discoveries, 
abundantly  rewarded  the  risks. 

It  may  serve  to  give  the  reader  a  more  accurate  idea  of  the  condition 
of  trade  in  this  part  of  the  world,  if  we  state  that  in  1615  the  Enfflish 
alone  had  one  hundred  and  seventy  vessels  engaged  in  the  New> 
foundland  fisheries,  while  the  French,  Portuguese,  and  Spaniards 
had  altogether  about  three  hundred. 

Many  attempts  were  made  about  this  time  to  discover  a  northwest 
passage  to  China ;  the  well  known  expedition  in  which  Baffin  was 
employed  occurring  in  1616. 

After  the  settlement  at  Plymouth,  the  English  colonies  began  to 
increase  regularly  in  population  and  resources,  while  the  Dutch  at 
New  York  became  firmly  established.  The  Swedes  also  commenced 
a  settlement  in  the  Delaware,  and  the  entire  coast,  fi'om  Acadie  to 
North  Carolina,  was  more  or  less  occupied  from  point  to  point. 
There  was  a  good  deal  of  trade  with  the  Indians,  with  whom  wam- 
pum was  exchanged  against  peltries.  As  early  as  in  1629  the  New 
England  Company  employed  five  ships  of  respectable  size,  in  the 
trade  with  the  colony.  Most  of  these  vessels  were  armed,  and  all 
took  colonists  in  their  outward  passages.  The  May  Flower  appears 
to  have  been  retained  in  this  business  for  many  years  after  her  first 
voyage.  A  small  ship  was  built  at  or  near  Boston,  in  1633,  which 
was  one  of  the  first  vessels,  if  not  the  first  vessel  of  any  size  con- 
structed in  New  England.  But  the  progress  of  the  colony  of  Mas- 
sachusetts Bay,  in  navigation,  was  so  rapid,  that  in  1639,  laws  were 
passed  to  encourage  the  fisheries,  which  may  be  considered  as  the 
elementary  school  of  American  nautical  enterprise.  The  fishermen 
during  the  season,  and  the  shipwrights  at  all  times,  were  exempted 
fi'om  military  duty,  a  great  privilege  in  an  infant  community  that  was 
surrounded  by  savages.  Among  those  who  gave  an  impulse  to  trade 
and  navigation  in  this  colony,  was  the  celebrated  Hugh  Peters,  sub- 
sequently executed  for  treason  in  England,  who  actually  caused  a 
vessel  of  three  hundred  tons  burthen  to  be  constructed  at  Salem, 
in  1641. 

■   Within  twenty  years  after  the  settlement  of  Plymouth,  ship-build- 
ing and  navigation  began  to  occupy  much  of  the  attention  of  New 


1633-36.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


17 


England,  and  as  every  vessel  of  any  size  carried  many  light  guns, 
the  niivigation  of  the  period  had  most  of  the  characteristics  of  an 
armed  trade.  In  addition  to  the  ships  and  barks  that  crossed  the 
ocean,  many  decked  boats,  or  small  sloops,  were  used  on  the  coast, 
especially  by  those  who  dealt  with  the  Indians  for  skins.  Tho  iirst 
engagement  that  probably  ever  occyrred  between  inhabitants  of  tho 
American  colonies,  and  enemies  afloat,  was  a  conflict  between  John 
Gallop,  who  was  engaged  in  a  trade  of  this  nature,  in  a  sloop  of  twenty 
tons,  and  some  Narragansett  Indians,  who  had  seized  upon  a  small 
vessel  belonging  to  a  person  of  the  name  of  Oldham,  known  to  have 
been  similarly  occupied.  As  this,  in  a  certain  sense,  may  be  deemed 
the  earliest  sea-fight  of  the  nation,  we  consider  it  worthy  to  be 
related. 

Some  time  in  May,  1636,  Gallop,  in  his  little  sloop,  manned  by 
two  men  and  two  boys,  hiitiself  included,  was  standing  along  the 
Sound,  near  Plum  Island,  when  he  was  compelled  by  stress  of  weath- 
er to  bear  up,  for  a  refuge,  among  the  islands  that  form  a  chain  be- 
tween Long  Island  and  Connecticut.  On  nearing  the  land,  he 
discovered  a  vessel  very  similar  to  his  own,  in  size  and  equipments, 
which  was  immediately  recognised  as  the  pinnace  of  Mr.  Oldham, 
who  had  sailed  with  a  crew  of  two  white  boys  and  two  Narragansett 
Indians.  Gallop  hailed  on  approaching  the  other  craft,  but  got  no 
answer,  and,  running  still  nearer,  no  less  than  fourteen  Indians  were 
discovered  lying  on  her  deck.  A  canoe,  conveying  goods,  and 
manned  by  Indians,  had  al-o  just  started  for  the  shore.  Gallop  now 
began  to  suspect  that  Oldham  had  been  overpowered  by  the  savages ; 
a  suspicion  that  was  confirmed  by  the  Indians  slipping  their  cable, 
and  standing  off  before  the  wind,  or  in  the  direction  of  Narragansett 
Bay.  Satisfied  that  a  robbery  had  been  committed.  Gallop  made 
sail  in  chase,  and  running  alongside  of  the  pinnace,  in  a  spirited 
manner,  he  fired  a  volley  of  duck-shot  at  the  savages.  The  latter 
had  swords,  spears,  and  some  fire-arms,  and  they  attempted  a  re- 
sistance, but  Gallop  soon  drove  them  below  to  a  man.  Afraid  to 
board  in  the  fiice  of  such  odds.  Gallop  now  had  recourse  to  a  novel 
expedient  to  dislodge  his  enemies.  As  the  pinnace  was  drifting  with 
no  one  to  manage  her,  she  soon  fell  to  leeward,  while  the  sloop 
hauled  by  the  wind..  As  soon  as  the  two  vessels  were  far  enough 
asunder.  Gallop  put  his  helm  up  and  ran  directly  down  on  the 
weather  quarter  of  the  pinnace,  striking  her  with  so  much  violence 
.13  to  come  near  forcing  her  over  on  her  side.  The  shock  so  much 
alarmed  the  Indians,  who  were  on  an  element  and  in  a  craft  they  did 
not  understand,  that  six  of  them  rushed  frantically  on  deck,  and 
leaped  into  the  sea,  where  they  were  all  drowned.  The  sloop  again 
hauled  off,  when  Gallop  lashed  an  anchor  to  her  bows  in  such  a 
manner,  that  by  running  down  on  the  pinnace  a  second  time,  he 
forced  the  flukes  through  the  sides  of  the  latter,  which  are  represented 
as  having  been  made  of  boards.  The  two  vessels  were  now  fast  to 
each  other,  and  the  crew  of  the  sloop  began  to  fire  through  the  sides 
of  the  pinnace,  into  her  hold.  Finding  it  impossible,  however,  to 
drive  his  enemies  up.  Gallop  loosened  his  fasts,  and  hauled  up  to 

VOL.    I.  2 


18 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1636. 


-i: 


ml 


m 


windwrard  q  third  time,  when  four  or  five  more  of  tlie  Indians  jumped 
overboard  and  shared  the  fate  of  those  who  Imd  preceded  them. 
One  Indian  now  nppeored  on  deck  ond  offered  to  submit.  Gallop 
ran  alongside,  and  received  this  man  in  the  sloop,  when  he  was  bound 
hands  and  feet,  and  put  into  the  hold.  Another  soon  followed  this 
example,  and  he  was  also  received  on  board  the  sloop  and  bound, 
but,  fearful  if  two  of  his  wily  foes  were  permitted  to  commune  to- 
gether, that  they  would  liberate  themselves,  the  second  prisoner  was 
thrown  into  the  sea.  Only  two  Indians  now  remained  in  the  pinnace. 
They  had  p[ot  into  a  small  apartment  below,  and  being  armed,  they 
showed  a  disposition  to  defend  themselves,  when  Gallop  removed 
all  the  goods  that  remained,  into  his  own  sloop,  stripped  the  pinnace 
of  her  sails,  took  her  in  tow,  and  hnuled  up  for  the  islands  again. 
But  the  wind  increasing,  the  pinnace  was  cut  adrifl,  and  she  disap- 
peared in  the  direction  of  Narragansett  Bay,  where  it  is  probable  she 
was  stranded  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours. 

On  board  the  pinnace,  Gallop  found  the  body  of  Mr.  Oldham. 
The  head  had  been  cleft,  the  hands  and  legs  were  much  mangled, 
and  the  flesh  was  still  warm.  The  corpse  was  thrown  into  the 
sea. 

Thus  terminated  this  extraordinary  conflict,  in  which  Gallop  ap- 
pears to  have  shown  as  much  conduct  as  courage,  and  which  in  itself 
illustrates  the  vast  superiority  that  professional  skill  gives  on  an 
element  like  the  sea.  As  it  was  of  the  last  importance  to  create  n 
respect  for  the  English  name,  with  a  view  to  protect  small  parties 
while  trading  with  the  savages,  the  report  of  the  conqueror  on  this 
occasion  induced  the  government  of  Massachusetts  to  send  an  ex- 
pedition against  the  offenders,  under  Mr.  Endecott,  one  of  the  as- 
sistants, which  did  the  Indians  much  injury  in  the  destruction  of 
their  dwellings  and  crops,  though  the  savages  themselves  took  to 
flight.  This  expedition,  however,  was  followed  up  by  others  that 
met  with  greater  success. 

The  French  in  Acadie,  also,  gave  rise  to  two  or  three  unimportant 
armaments,  which  led  to  no  results  worthy  of  being  recorded. 

Notwithstanding  the  frequency  of  the  Indian  conflicts,  and  the 
repeated  visits  to  the  settlements  of  the  French,  the  first  regular 
cruisers  employed  by  the  American  colonists  appear  to  have  owed 
their  existence  to  misunderstandings  with  the  Dutch  of  the  New 
Netherlands.  The  colony  of  New  Haven  had  so  far  increased  as  to 
cause  a  vessel  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  tons  to  be  built  in  Rhode 
Island,  as  early  as  the  year  1646,  but  the  ship  was  lost  at  sea  on  her 
first  passage.  Shortly  after,  a  small  cruiser,  carrying  ten  guns,  and 
forty  men,  was  employed  by  the  united  colonies  of  Hartford  and 
New  Haven,  to  cruise  in  Long  Island  Sound,  with  a  view  to  prevent 
the  enchroachments  of  the  Dutch,  and  to  keep  open  the  communi- 
cation with  the  settlements  they  had  made  on  the  opposite  shore.  In 
1654,  orders  were  received  from  Parliament  to  treat  the  Dutch  aa 
enemies,  but  both  communities  were  still  too  young  and  feeble  to 
engage  in  a  warfare  that  was  not  considered  of  paramount  necessity. 


1678.1 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


19 


Nothing  cfToctive  appears  to  have  been  done  under  these  instruc- 
tions. 

At  a  later  day,  or  in  1665-6,  Connecticut  kept  another  small 
vessel  cruising  on  Watch  Hill,  in  order  to  prevent  the  Narra;;aii8ctt 
Indians  from  crossing  to  attack  the  Montauk  tribe,  which  hud  been 
taken  under  tlA  protection  of  the  colony. 

In  1645,  a  ship  of  some  si/.e  was  built  ot  Cambridge,  Massachu- 
setts, and  receiving  an  armament  of  fourteen  guns,  and  a  crew  of 
thirty  men,  she  sailed  for  the  Canary  Isles.  This  vessel  fell  in  with 
a  rover,  supposed  to  belong  to  Barbary,  of  twenty  guns,  and  seventy 
men,  when  an  action  took  place  that  continued  the  entire  day.  The 
rover  receiving  some  serious  injury  to  her  rudder,  the  New  England 
ship  was  enabled  to  escap«.  Although  the  conflict  between  Gallop 
and  the  Narragansetts  is,  in  one  sense,  entitled  to  the  precedency, 
this  action  may  be  set  down  as  the  first  regular  navul  combat  in  which 
any  American  vessel  is  known  to  have  been  engaged. 

An  important  change  occurred,  in  1664,  in  the  situation  of  the 
American  colonies,  by  the  capture  of  New  Netherlands  from  the 
Dutch.  The  vessels  employed  on  this  service  were  under  the  orders 
of  Sir  Robert  Carr,  while  Colonel  Richard  Nicoll  commanded  the 
troops.  No  resistance  was  made.  In  consequence  of  this  accession 
of  territory,  and  the  submission  of  the  Swedish  settlements  on  the 
Delaware,  the  English  Colonies  now  had  entire  possession  of  the 
coast,  between  the  Bay  of  Fundy  and  the  Floridas.  It  had  been 
computed,  in  1660,  that  the  English  settlements  contained  about 
eighty  thousand  souls,  and  this  increase  of  numbers  made  a  total  of 
more  than  one  hundred  thousand  inhabitants  of  European  extrac- 
tion. New  England  paid  the  most  attention  to  navigation,  however; 
and  it  appears  by  Hutchinson,  that  in  1676,  or  just  a  century  before 
the  declaration  of  Independence,  the  following  vessels  had  been 
constructed  in  Boston,  or  its  vicinity,  and  then  belonged  to  the  ports 
of  that  neighbourhood,  viz: 

30  vessels  between  100  and  250  tons. 
200  vessels  between  50  and  100  tons. 
200  vessels  between  30  and  50  tons. 
300  vessels  between  6  and  10  tons. 

Most  of  the  small  vessels  were  employed  in  the  fisheries,  and  the 
ordinary  communications  between  the  settlements  on  the  coast  were 
kept  up  by  water.  The  principal  building  stations  were  Boston, 
Charlestown,  Salem,  Ipswich,  Salisbury,  and  Portsmouth,  and  there 
were  even  at  that  early  day,  thirty  master  shipwrights. 

While  the  English  were  thus  occupying  the  coast,  the  French 
were  gradually  extending  themselves  along  the  chain  of  Great  Lakes 
in  the  interior,  drawing  a  belt  around  the  territories  of  their  rivals. 
In  the  course  of  events  of  this  nature,  de  la  Salle  launched  a  vessel 
often  tons  on  Lake  Ontario,  in  1678,  which  was  the  first  decked 
boat  that  ever  sailed  on  those  waters.  The  following  year,  he  caused 
a  vessel  of  sixty  tons  to  be  launched  on  Lake  Erie.* 


Wi:       y 


^'■M'  i 


*  The  second  vcBsel  is  differently  stated  to  have  been  of  ten  and  of  sixty  tons, 
have  chosen  what  has  appeared  to  be  the  hcBt  authority. 


We 


20 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


1678.] 


1 


In  l({H(),iiccnr(iiii!(toTniiiilmll,C(MUiocticut  poaRCHseiltwciity-fiiii. 
veHsriH,  with  II  total  of  KK'iO  toiiM,  tnuliii};  between  that  C(»loiiy  and 
BoMtoii,  NewfoiiiHlhiiul,  the  Weitt  Iiidieii,  &,c.  Am.  The  Biiccerdiiig 
year,  forty-niMo  veMMels  entered  the  harlHuir  of  PortHniouth  ah)ne. 
The  well  known  navigation  net,  a  law  to  connne  the  carrying  trade 
to  EngliHh  Hhipfl,  had  heen  |)aH8ed  as  early  nn  1051,  knt  it  had  been 
little  regarded  by  the  coloniHts;  and  tliiM  year  Rdniund  Randolph 
came  a  second  time  to  Boston,  where  he  made  a  vigorous  hut  nn- 
siicceMsfnl  effort  to  enforce  the  obnoxious  statute.  In  JViaflHuchuHetts, 
in  particular,  tins  law  had  been  almost  a  dead  letter  from  the  first, 
though  the  Dutch  in  New  Netherlands  had  thought  it  necessary  to 
insert  a  clause  in  their  articles  of  capitulation,  to  permit  them  to 
trade  with  Holland  for  six  months  afler  the  surrender. 

The  buccaneers  began  to  commit  depredations  in  the  American 
seas,  about  the  year  l(Ui({;  and  piracies  on  a  smaller  scale,  were 
not  infre(|uent  at  n  much  earlier  day.  These  buccaneers  were  ori'/- 
inally,  more  outlaws  in  the  West  India  Islands.  Compelled  at  len^;ih 
to  iniite,  they  assembled  at  the  Toitngns,  and  began  to  ))lundrr  Ri'<.!i 
vessels  as  approached  the  shore;  most  of  their  robberies  be!')Mr  com- 
mitted by  means  of  open  boats.  The  Spanish  vessels,  in  it  n  <  ilar, 
became  the  objects  of  their  assaults;  and  encourn<:;ed  by  success, 
they  began  to  venture  farther  from  the  land.  Their  numbers  rapidly 
increased,  and  ere  long  they  ventured  to  make  de^-rcnts  on  the  coasts, 
more  especially  on  those  of  the  Spanish  settlement,  in  quest  of  plun- 
der. It  is  a  mark  of  the  peculiar  character  of  the  nge,  that  these 
freebooters  often  commenced  their  enterprises  with  prayer!  They 
spent  their  ill-gotten  wealth  ns  profligately  as  it  had  been  obtained, 
and  like  more  powerful  bodies  of  men,  were  finally  destroyed  by  the 
excesses  engendered  by  their  own  prosperity. 

We  do  not  know  tint  there  is  authority  for  believing  these  free- 
booters ever  had  an^'  material  connexion  with  the  English  continental 
possessions,  thou'^h  Juniaica,  at  one  period,  was  thronged  by  them. 
There  are,  however,  too  many  traditions  on  the  coast,  not  to  suspect 
that  some  of  the  excesses,  to  which  the  loose  condition  of  the  western 
world  gave  rise,  were  less  ostentatiously  committed  by  those  who 
frequented  the  country.  The  same  odium  was  not  then  attached  to 
piratical  acts,  as  in  our  own  times;  and  that  which  even  we  ourselves 
have  seen  done  on  the  land,  by  men  styled  heroes,  was  then  com- 
mitted on  the  water,  almost  without  comment. 

The  first  authentic  account  we  possess  of  a  regular  attempt  to 
suppress  piracy  on  the  American  coa?^  is  found  in  Winthrop's 
Journal,  and  it  occiwod  ns  early  as  in  the  y-  -i  1033.  A  '■-  -k  of 
thirty  tons  burthen  hati  been  launched  '  <•  ;,.'-.n:oi  :,  yeni,  nt  iVlistick, 
which  was  called  the  Blessing  of  the  Bay,  and  which  wns  converted 
into  a  cruiser  for  the  occasion  to  which  we  nllude.  Information  had 
reached  the  government  of  the  colony  that  one  David  Bull,  who  had 
fifteen  more  Englishmen  with  him,  hnd  committed  divers  nets  of 
oiracy  among  the  fishermen  at  the  eastward,  and  that  he  also  hnd 
!>iund«'r{;d  a  s(*ttlemcnt  on  shore.  This  expedition,  however,  wns 
>.  'sjw.aded  in  consequence  of  intelligence  having  been  received  that 


H)33-42.] 


NAVAL  HIHTOaV. 


21 


thn  pnnpin  of  tlin  conut  hud  nmnnnil  iirvt'riil  pinniiccfi  niul  Hlinllopi 
ami  •!<Mi(>  in  qiio.st  of  the  iiiuruudt'rri  tlii'mHvlvrM.  Ht'vorul  tuunths 
clii]»si,.  Itfforo  liny  tliiii)^  coiicluHivo  could  ho  imcortuinedcoiicemitig 
Bull  an  1  liM  piirty, ntid  in  Juniiiiry,  1(1!!!),  iiiiothrr  fnntlcHNrxprtiition, 
th.'it  h.'i<l  huoit  'lit  fif\cr  tlictn,  returned,  hm  did  a  third  in  Mav.  Ono 
of  thn  iMoofit  of  II  iitw'.'Hs  dispoHitioii  adduced  iiifiunst  Bull,  Ih  to  bu 
found  ill  II  report  of  his  conduct,  wherein  it  \»  Hinted  that,  at  the  hour 
when  lie  peopir  <•!'  other  8lii|»M  were  nccutitoiiK-d  to  aHMentdile  tor 
prayer,  his  followers  would  meet  on  deck,  to  !>!inj^  Hong;n  and  utter 
BCtiseless  plirii.-''-<.  It  in  prohahle  fhiit  this  party  was  coinpcsed  of 
fur-tradern  from  Vir;^inia,  mid  that  their  eoiiduct  appeared  "  tlio 
puritans  of  the  cast  ho  li^dit,  in  geticrul,  that  some  triflinji; «  v  •  "t^ti 
were  misconstrued  into  piracy. 

Another  iiisii;iiificaiit  afl'air  that  occurred  at  the  New  Netherlamf^ 
was  turned  into  piracy;  a  Captain  Stone  havina;  hoen  s»i/.t  .<l,  and 
bound  over  to  appear  at  the  Adinirahy  Court  in  England;  hi  t  the 
proceedinjfs  were  dropped  in  eonseipience  of  the  belief  that  the  w  '  -lo 
transaction  would  turn  out  to  he  little  more  than  n  iiM'rr  iiss.  dt. 
This  occurred  also  in  I0!]3;  and  there  is  some  rcasoi  to  helt^  e 
that  the  uxa<^{|rRration8  of  the  puritans  had  misled  them,  from  tii« 
fact  that  this  Captain  Stone  was  a i  rested  for  adultery  hellif'  h« 
left  tlio  colony,  und  that  the  grand  jury  returned  the  bill  igm. 
ramus. 

It  appears  by  the  Journal  of  Cover  lor  Winthrop,  that  in  lt>42 
one  Edward  Bedall,  of  Boston,  iiMed  t'lo  Diving  Bell  to  weigh  a 
vessel  called  the  Mary  Rose,  which  li  id  sunk  the  previous  year. 
Bedall  made  use  of  two  tubs,  "upon  wh  ch  were  hanged  so  many 
weiirhts  (600  lbs.)  as  would  sink  them  to  the  ground."  Th«!  experi- 
ment succeeded  perfectly,  and  the  guns,  hallast,  goods,  htdl,  &.C., 
were  all  transported  into  shoal  water,  and  recovered.  The  first 
instance  of  a  diving  bell's  being  used,  w  is  at  Cadiz,  we  believe, 
in  the  presence  of  Charles  V.;  the  notio  i,  so  prevalent  in  this 
country,  that  it  was  an  invention  of  Sir  W  lliam  Pliipps,  being  an 
error. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  cci  tury,  the  shippinjr  of 
the  American  colonies  had  so  far  incrcas<  d,  as  to  supply  t  le 
mother  country  with  many  transports,  and  ro  conduct  no  small 
part  of  the  trade  between  the  two  great  divi-'ions  of  the  empire. 
The  Whale  Fishery  at  Nantucket,  appear-^  to  1  ive  been  established 
in  lt>00;  and  in  1696,  it  is  said  that  the  shi. ping  of  New  York 
amounted  to  forty  square-rigged  vessels,  sixty-tw  )  sloops,  and  sixty 
boats. 

In  consequence  of  the  great  number  of  privateers  that  sailed  out 
of  Acadie,  the  general  court  of  Massachusetts  sent  an  expedition 
aofainst  Port  Royal,  in  1690.  The  forces  were  commanded  by  Sir 
William  Phipps,  and  amounted  to  between  700  iisid  800  men,  who 
wen;  embarked  in  eight  small  vessels.  This  ex -ledition  sailed  on 
the  2Sth  of  April,  and  returned  on  the  30th  of  May,  having  been 
successful.  The  good  fortune  that  attended  this  eiiterfirisc,  induced 
the  government  of    Massachusetts   to  attempt  another  against  a 


, 


22 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1690. 


6i  I. 


place  as  important  as  Quebec.  Sir  William  Phipps*  again  com- 
manded, having  between  thirty  and  forty  vessels,  the  largest  of  which 
was  of  44  guns,  and  200  men,  and  the  whole  number  of  the  troops 
and  seamen  employed  was  about  2000.  These  forces  n  ached 
Quebec,  October  the  5th,  1690,  and  landed,  October  the  8th.  The 
force  disembarked  was  about  12  or  1300  men,  but  it  was  repulsed 
without  much  fighting.  On  their  return  to  Boston,  the  ships  were 
dispersed  by  a  gale,  and  little  credit  was  gained  by  the  undertaking. 

The  Falkland,  a  fourth  rate,  was  launched  in  the  Piscataqua,  in 
1690,  and  was  the  first  ship  of  the  line  ever  built  in  Americu. 

Much  alarm  existed  along  the  coast,  about  this  time,  from  an 
apprehension  of  the  French,  who  were  understood  to  be  cruising  in 
the  American  seas.  We  learn,  indeed,  fi-om  the  whole  history  of  that 
period,  how  nearly  balanced  were  the  naval  powers  of  Europe; 
England,  France,  Spain,  and  Holland,  standing  in  mutual  awe  of 
each  other,  on  the  high  seas. 

•  Sir  William  Phipps  was  born  at  Pemaqnid,  in  1650.  Until  eighteen  years  of  age, 
he  was  principally  employed  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  subsequently  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  a  shipwright.  When  of  age,  he  built  a  ship  at  Sheepscote ;  he  afterwards 
followed  the  sea,  and  hearing  of  a  Spanish  wreck  near  the  Bahamas,  he  gave  such 
accounts  of  it  in  England,  that  he  was  sent  out  with  a  frigate,  to  obtain  its  treasure.  In 
this  affair  he  was  unsuccessful.  The  Duke  of  Albemarle,  however,  sent  him  out  a 
second  time,  (1687,)  when  ho  brought  home  near  i;300,000,  #f  wliich  his  own  share 
amounted  to  £■  16,000.  This  transaction  brought  him  into  notice,  and  he  was  knighted  by 
James  II.  He  had  been  made  High  .Sheriff  of  New  England  previously,  and  he  was 
made  Governor  of  his  native  colony  in  1691 ;  but  having  had  a  quarrel,  in  1693,  with  a 
Captain  Short,  of  the  Nonsuch  frigate,  about  the  extent  of  his  Vice-Admiralty  jurisdiction, 
he  had  that  officer  arrested  and  sent  to  England.  On  the  representation  of  Captain 
Short,  the  Governor  was  summoned  to  England  in  person  to  answer  for  his  conduct  in 
this  affair,  and  having  justified  himself,  lie  was  about  to  return  to  his  government,  when 
he  was  seized  with  a  malignant  fever,  and  died  in  London.  Some  accounts  place  his 
death  in  1G94,  and  others  in  1095 ;  we  believe  the  latter  to  bo  the  most  correct.  He  is 
said  to  have  f)ecn  honest,  well-meaning  and  religious,  though  passionate  and  imperious. 
He  was  uneducated  of  course,  not  knowing  how  to  read  and  write,  until  he  had  become 
a  man  ;  but  acquaintance  with  the  world,  considerable  native  abilities,  and  a  rcstlesa 
enterprise  had  early  brought  him  into  conspicuous  stations,  where  he  usually  accjuitted 
himself  with  credit.  The  popular  American  opinion,  that  the  Mulgrave  family,  of  which 
the  present  head  is  the  Maniuess  of  Normauby,  is  descended  fronj  Sir  William  Pbipps^ 
Ifl  a  mistake 


1700.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


23 


CHAPTER  II. 

Captain  Kidd Population  of  Colonic".  ...Attufkon  Charleston  by  the  Spaniards they 

are  repulsed  with  great  loss Port  Koyal  reduced its  name  rhanged  to  Anapolis 

New  Providence  captured Pirates  expelled First  negro  slaves  brought  into  the 

country....!  ust  American  vessel  engaged  in  the  slave  trade.... The  Whale  fisheries.... 

Shipping  of  Massachusetts  and  Pennsylvania Small  armed  vessels  employed.... 

Wars  between  England  and  Spain  and  France etfects  on  the  American  colonics. ... 

Expedition   against  LouislH)urg....Ve.s8els  captured.... Acadie   (now  Nova  Scotia) 
ceded  to  England. 

The  close  of  the  seventeenth  century  found  the  American  coast, 
in  a  great  measure,  occupied  from  the  Bay  of  Fundy  to  the  Sa- 
vannali  river.  The  war,  which  terminated  witli  the  peace  of  Rys- 
wick,  had  greatly  alarmed  the  colonists,  and  many  small  cruisers 
and  gdllcys  had  been  built  and  armed,  at  different  ports,  principally 
with  a  view  to  cruise  against  the  privateers  that  sailed  out  of  Acadie 
and  the  West  Indies;  but  no  tiction  appears  to  have  occurred  at  sea. 
The  two  expeditions  of  Sir  William  Phipps  were  the  most  important 
military  operations  that  had  then  taken  place  in  the  colonies,  if  the 
Indian  wars  be  excepted;  and  they  led  to  nothing  worthy  of  com- 
memoration, in  a  naval  point  of  view.  The  royal  cruisers  that  oc- 
casionally appeared  in  the  American  seas,  at  that  remote  period, 
were  usually  light  frigates,  of  a  class  between  the  present  sloops  and 
two-and-thirties,  and  in  point  of  armament,  and  even  of  size,  were 
probably  unequal  to  contending  with  the  largest  of  the  former.  We 
have  seen  that  one  of  Sir  William  Phipps's  ships,  in  the  expedition 
against  Quebec,  carried  44  guns  and  200  men,  a  disproportion  be- 
tween the  crew  and  the  armament,  that  proves  the  latter  to  have 
been  exceedingly  light.  In  that  age,  the  importance  of  metal  was 
not  appreciated ;  and  the  decks  of  vessels-  were  crowded  with  guns, 
which  did  so  little  execution,  that  great  naval  battles  frequently  con- 
tinued days  without  producing  decisive  resiUts. 

The  close  of  the  seventeenth  century  was  also  the  period  when 
the  piracies  had  got  to  be  the  most  serious,  and  when  Kidd  was  guilty 
of  those  acts  that  have  since  given  hi^  a  notoriety  that  would  seem 
to  be  altogether  disproportioned  to  his  deeds.  During  the  wars  of 
that  day,  the  seas  had  been  much  infested  with  a  species  of  privateers, 
that  often  committed  aggressions,  and  even  piracies  on  neutral  ves- 
sels. Most  of  these  rovers  were  English;  and  it  is  said  that  they 
sometimes  plundered  their  own  countrymen.  New  York  was  not 
entirely  exempt  from  the  suspicion  of  having  equipped  several 
vessels  of  this  description,  and  very  unpleasant  surmises  affected  the 
characters  of  some  distinguished  men  of  the  colony,  the  governor, 
Fletcher,  among  others.  In  appreciating  such  charges,  it  is  neces- 
sary to  remember  the  character  of  the  age,  there  being  no  disgrace 
attached  to  adventures  in  private  armed  ships,  and  the  transition  from 
fighting  for  plunder,  and  plundering  unlawfully,  is  very  trifling,  in 


24 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


1700.] 


remote  seas,  where  testimony  is  not  casiJy  obtained,  and  the  law  is 
impotent.  That  which  men  can  practise  with  impunity,  they  are 
apt  to  undertake,  when  tempted  by  cupidity;  and  that  which  is 
frequent,  ceases  to  shock  the  sense  of  right.  It  is  by  no  means 
probable  that  either  Governor  Fletcher,  or  any  distinguished  colonist, 
deliberately  engaged  in  piratical  adventures,  but  it  is  quite  possible 
that  such  men  may  have  been  concerned  in  the  equipment  of  private 
cruisers,  that  subsequently  committed  acts  which  the  laws  condemned. 
It  is  possible,  that  when  such  vessels  have  returned,  a  rigid  inquiry 
into  the  origin  of  the  plunder  they  brought  with  them,  was  not  al- 
ways made.  Such,  in  some  measure,  was  the  case  with  Kidd,  whose 
subsequent  notoriety  appears  to  have  been  as  much  owing  to  the 
eclat  with  which  he  sailed,  sanctioned  by  government,  and  supported 
by  men  of  character,  and  to  some  striking  incidents  that  accompanied 
his  return,  as  to  any  extraordinary  excesses  as  a  pirate.  The  facts 
of  his  case  appear  to  have  been  as  follows: 

Much  odium  having  been  cast  on  the  colony  of  New  York,  in 
consequence  of  the  number  of  piracies  that  had  been  committed  by 
rovers  sailing  from  the  port  of  that  name,  the  government  in  England 
deemed  it  necessary  to  take  serious  measures  to  repress  the  evil. — 
This  duty  was  in  particular  confided  to  the  Earl  of  Bellaniont,  who 
had  been  appointed  the  governor  of  several  of  the  colonies.     Mr. 
Robert  Livingston  happening  to  be  in  England  at  the  time  when  the 
subject  was  under  discussion,  and  being  a  man  of  influence  in  the 
colony  of  New  York,  he  was  conferred  with,  as  to  the  most  advisable 
means  of  putting  an  end  to  the  practice.     Mr.  Livingston  advised  that 
a  cruiser  of  force  should  be  sent  out  expressly  to  seize  all  lawless 
rovers,  and  he  introduced  to  Lord  Bellamont,  Captain  Wm.  Kidd, 
whom  he  recommended  as  a  seaman  qualified  to  be  put  at  the  head 
of  such  an  adventure.     Captain  Kidd  was  said  to  have  a  kno\\  ledge 
of  the  pirates,  and  of  their  places  of  resort ;  and  at  the  same  time,  to 
be  a  man  on  whose  integrity  and  services  full  reliance  might  be  placed. 
The  first  proposition  was  to  employ  a  king's  ship  of  30  guns  and  150 
men  on  this  service;  but  the  war  requiring  all  the  regular  cruisers, it 
is  a  proof  of  the  spirit  of  the  times,  that  the  matter  was  referred  to 
private  enterprise,  although  the  sanctionof  government  was  not  only 
promised,  but  obtained.     Mr.  Livingston  took  one-fifth  of  the  shares, 
and  became  the  usual  security  for  the  lawfulness  of  Kidd's  proceed- 
ings.    The  Lord  Chancellor,  and  several  other  distinguished  noble- 
men, took  shares  in  the  adventure  also,  and  the  crown  reserved  to 
itself  a  tenth  of  the  proceeds,  as  a  proof  that  it  approved  of  the  en- 
terprise.    Kidd  received  his  commission  and  his  orders  from  the 
Earl  of  Bellamont,  whom  he  followed  to  America  for  that  purpose, 
sailing  from   Plymouth   in  England,  April  1606,  for  New  York. 
Tho#c  is  much. reason  for  thinking  that  Captain  Kidd  was  not  guilty 
of  any  illegal  act  himself,  until  he  found  that  his  more  legitimate  en- 
terprise was  not  likely  to  be  successful.     In  the  end,  liowever,  he 
went  to  the  eastward  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope,  where  he  certainly 
comniitted  piracies,  though  to  what  extent  is  now  questionable.     He 
tvas  accused  of  ravaging  the  sea  between  Madagascar  and  the  coast, 


1701.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


25 


from  Bubclinandelto  Malabar,  and  of  committing  the  usual  excesses, 
though  it  is  probable  that  there  was  much  exaggeration  mixed  up 
'A^ith  the  histories  and  rumors  of  the  day.  Some  accounts  confine 
his  piracies  to  a  single  ship,  though  it  is  more  than  probable  that  he 
had  a  disposition  to  the  vocation,  and  that  he  was  easily  diverted 
from  the  object  with  which  he  had  sailed,  even  if  he  did  not  con- 
template piracy  on  quitting  port.  After  an  absence  of  about  three 
years,  Kidd  returned  to  the  American  coast,  first  appearing  off  the 
east  end  of  Long  Island.  About  thirty  miles  to  the  westward  of 
Montauk,  protected  from  the  ocean  by  the  southern  branch  of  the 
island  just  mentioned,  i^  a  capacious  bay  that  obtains  its  name  from 
another  small  island,  which  is  so  placed  as  to  defend  it  against  the 
northeast  gales.  The  latter  island  contains  about  three  thousand 
acres  of  land,  and  ever  since  the  country  has  been  settled,  or  for  two 
centuries,  it  has  been  the  property  of  an  honourable  family  of  the 
name  of  Gardiner,  which  has  given  its  name  to  both  the  island  and 
the  bay.  The  latter  has  an  anchorage  that  has  long  been  known  to 
seamen,  and  into  Gardiner's  Bay  Kidd  sailed  on  this  occasion. 
Anchoring  near  the  island,  he  landed,  and  buried  some  treasures; 
entrusting  Mr.  Gardiner  with  his  secret,  and  making  the  life  of  the 
Litter  the  pledge  of  his  fidelity.  This  effected,  the  pirate  again  sailed, 
and  made  similar  deposits  on  other  parts  of  the  coast. 

After  a  short  interval,  Kidd  paid  and  discharged  his  crew,  and  it 
is  said  burned  his  ship.  He  appeared  in  Boston  in  1699,  and  was 
immediately  seized  by  the  order  of  Governor  Bellamont.  Among 
his  papers  was  found  a  record,  containing  lists  of  his  several  deposits, 
which  it  is  probable  he  held  in  reserve  for  his  own  share  of  the 
booty,  when  he  should  have  made  his  peace  with  those  in  power  with 
the  remainder.  The  authorities,  however,  were  inflexible,  and  com- 
missioners were  immediately  sent  in  quest  of  the  buried  booty.  When 
these  persons  presented  themselves  to  Mr.  Gardiner.,  and  assured  him 
that  Kidd  was  in  confinement,  that  gentleman  led  them  to  the  spot 
whore  the  hox  was  concealed,  and  it  was  recovered.  The  papers 
of  the  Gardiner  family  show  that  the  contents  of  the  box  were  bags 
of  gold  dust,  bags  of  gold  bars,  the  latter  to  a  considerable  amount, 
coined  gold  and  silver,  silver  bars,  precious  stones,  silver  lamps,  &c., 
&c.,  in  all  to  the  amount  of  near  twenty  thousand  dollars.  Most, 
if  not  all,  of  the  other  deposits  were  also  obtained.  Kidd  was  sent 
to  England,  tried  and  condemned.  He  was  not  executed,  however, 
until  May  the  9th,  1701.  Notwithstanding  the  acts  just  related,  it 
would  seem  that  his  conviction  was,  in  reality,  for  murdering  one 
of  his  own  crew. 

It  f()llowed,  almost  as  amatter  of  course,  that  suspicion  rested  on 
those  who  were  concerned  in  sending  Captain  Kidd  to  sea.  The 
usual  profligacy  of  party  was  exhibited  in  an  attempt  to  impeach 
several  noblemen  concerned  in  the  affair ;  and  one  or  two  men  of 
note  in  the  colony  of  New  York  were  also  involved  in  legal  proceed- 
ings, ill  consequence  of  these  piracies  ;  but  nothing  was  ever  estab- 
lished against  any  of  the  accused,  though  Governor  Fletcher  fell  into 
at  home.     The  known  fact  that  Kidd  buried  treasure,  gave 


disgracMi 


26 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1\J2-12. 


W 


rise  to  rumours  that  he  had  buried  much  that  was  never  discovered. 
With  the  bhndness  usual  in  matters  of  this  sort,  it  was  behevcd  that 
he  had  secreted  his  gold  in  spots  that  he  .never  visited,  and  to  this  day 
it  is  not  unfrequcnt  for  diggings  to  be  made  on  the  coast,  under  the 
influence  of  dreams  that  have  been  occasioned  by  meditating  on  the 
subject,  and  in  the  hope  of  finding  some  of  the  long  lost  riches. 

The  year  that  Kidd  was  sent  to  England,  seven  pirates  were  exe- 
cuted in  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  that  coast  having  been  much 
infested  with  these  robbers. 

In  1701,  the  population  of  the  American  colonies  was  estimated 
at  262,000,  while  the  Newfoundland  fisheries  were  said  to  employ 
121  vessels,  2,700  men,  and  nearly  8,000  tons. 

Another  war  soon  occurring,  the  troubles  on  the  coast  were  re- 
vived, and  as  the  colonies  grew  in  importance,  the  mother  country 
not  only  extended  her  care  towards  them  in  a  greater  degree,  but  the 
people  of  the  provinces  themselves,  felt  a  disposition  to  participate 
more  largely  in  the  struggles.  Still,  so  little  leed  was  taken  against 
the  ordinary  dangers,  that  the  port  of  New  York,  in  1705,  was  to- 
tally without  defence  ;  or  so  nearly  so,  that  a  solitary  French  priva- 
teer entered  it,  and  caused  the  greatest  consternation. 

The  Spaniards,  with  whom  England  was  at  war,  conceiving  that 
South  Carolina  properly  belonged  to  the  Fioridas,  undertook  an  ex- 
pedition against  Charleston,  in  1706,  with  four  ships  of  war  and  a 
galley,  commanded  by  a  French  admiral.  A  commission  of  vice- 
admiral  was  immediately  given  to  Lieut.  Col.  Rhett,  a  gentleman 
who  possessed  the  public  confidence.  Mr.  Rhett  hoisted  liis  flag  in 
the  Crown,  galley,  and  several  ships  that  happened  to  be  in  port, 
were  hastily  manned  and  armed.  In  the  mean  time  the  enemy  had 
arrived  and  surrounded  the  place,  but  meeting  with  some  repulses 
on  shore,  Mr.  Rhett  got  under  way  to  engage  the  hostile  squadron, 
Avhen  the  latter  retired  with  precipitation.  The  Spaniards  are  said 
to  have  lost  nearhalf  their  men  in  this  unsuccesful  undertaking. 

Hearingof  a  large  enemy's  ship  on  the  coast,  a  few  days  after  the 
fleet  had  disappeared,  Mr.  Rhett  went  in  quest  of  her  with  two  small 
vessels,  and  succeeded  in  capturing  her,  and  in  bringing  in  ninety 
prisoners. 

From  an  early  day  the  possession  of  Port  Royal  in  Acadie,  ap- 
pears to  haye  been  a  favorite  object  with  the  colonists,  most  probably 
from  the  great  interest  they  felt  in  the  fisheries.  We  have  already 
seen  that  expeditions  were  sent  against  this  place,  in  the  earlier 
wars,  while  we  now  find  no  less  than  three  undertaken,  with  the 
same  object,  in  the  war  of  1702 — 12.  The  first  of  these  expeditions 
was  set  on  foot  in  1707,  being  almost  purely  of  colonial  origin.  It 
sailed  in  May,  in  twenty-three  transports  and  whale-boats,  under  the 
convoy  of  the  Deptford  man-of-war.  Captain  Stuckley,  accompanied 
by  the  Province,  galley.  Captain  Soutliack.  This  expedition  ef- 
fected nothing.  The  second  attempt  was  not  made  until  the  year 
1709,  wlnn  an  enterprise  on  a  larger  scale  was  planned.  Accord- 
ing to  Trumbull,  the  colonics  cast  of  Connecticut  were  ordered  to 
raise  1,200  men  for  this  undertaking,  and  to  provide  transports,  pi- 


17 


Ian 
abi 
Bri 

Th 


1711.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


27 


lots,  mid  provisions  for  three  months,  while  Connecticut  itself  nnd 
the  more  southern  provinces,  were  to  send  a  force  of  1,500  men,  by 
land,  a<ruinst  Montreal.     The  maritime  paii  of  the  expedition  was 
abiindoned,  after  waiting  three  months  in  the  port  of  Boston  for  the 
British  ships  that  were  to  convoy  it*  and  to  aid  in  subduinjr  the  place. 
The  attack  on  Montreal  was  also  given  up,  for  the  want  of  the  ex- 
pected co-operation.     The  third  attempt  was  made  in  1710,  when 
a  Colonel  Nicholson,  of  the  English  service,  was  entrusted  with  the 
command.     On  this  occasion  the  prej)arations  were  made  conjointly 
by  the  crown  and  the  provinces,  the  latter  furnishing  the  transports 
and  several  cruisers.     The  fleet  consisted  in  all,  of  3G  sail :  viz. 
three  fourth-rates,  two  fifth-rates,  five  frigates,  a  bomb  ketch,  the 
Province,  galley,  and  twenty-four  transj)orts.     In  these  vessels  were 
embarked  a  regiment  of  marines,  and  five  regiments  of  provincials. 
The  expedition  sailed  from  Boston  on  the  18tli  of  September,  ar- 
rived off  Port  Royal  on  the  2-lth,  and  on  the  1st  of  October  the  place 
submitted.     Its  name  was  changed  to  A  nimpolis,  by  which  appella- 
tion it  is  yet  known.     Stimulated  by  this  success,  a  still  more  imj>or- 
tant  attempt  was  got  up  in  1711,  against  the  French  possessions  on 
the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence.     England  now  ajipeared  dis])osed  to 
put  forth  her  power  in  earnest,  and  a  fleet  of  fifteen  sail,  twelve  of 
which  were  sent  directly  from  England,  and  three  of  Aviiiclihad  been 
stationed  on  the  coast,  were  put  under  the  orders  of  Vice-admiral  Sir 
Hovenden  Walker,  for  that  purpose.     In  this  fleet  were  several 
ships  of  the  line,  and  it  was  accompanied  by  forty  transports  and  six 
store  vessels.     Five  of  the  veteran  regiments  that  had  served  under 
Marlborough,  were  sent  out  with  the  fleet,  and  two  regiments  raised 
in  New  England  being  added  to  them,  the  land  forces  amounted  to 
between  6,000  and  7,000  men. 

After  considerable  delay,  the  fleet  sailed  on  the  30th  of  July,  1711, 
when  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts  ordered  a  fast  to  be  observed 
every  Thursday,  until  the  result  should  be  known.  On  the  14tli  of 
August  the  ships  entered  the  St.  Lawrence,  and  on  the  18th  the  admi- 
ral, in  order  to  collect  his  transports,  put  into  the  bay  of  Gaspe.  Here 
he  reinained  until  the  20tb,  when  the  fleet  proceeded.  On  the  20lh 
the  ships  were  off"  soundings,  out  of  sight  of  land,  and  enveloped  in 
a  fog,  with  a  gale  at  E.  S.  E.  The  fleet  now  brought-to  with  the 
ships'  beads  to  the  southward.  Notwithstanding  this  precaution,  it 
was  soon  discovered  that  the  whole  of  them  were  in  imminent  Jeop- 
ardy among  the  rocks,  islands,  and  currents  of  the  north-shore,  which 
was,  moreover,  a  lee  shore.  Some  of  the  vessels  saved  themselves 
by  anchoring,  among  which  was  the  Edgar,  70,  the  admiral's  own 
ship  :  but  eight  transports  were  lost,  together  with  a  thousand  people, 
and  the  expedition  was  abandoned.  The  admiral  now  dismissed  the 
provincial  troops  and  vessels,  and  sailed  for  England  witli  the  re- 
mainder of  the  fleet.  These  signal  disasters  led  to  loud  complaints 
and  to  bitter  recriminations  between  the  English  and  American  oflTi- 
ccrs.  To  the  latter  was  attributed  a  fiital  loi^s  of  time,  in  raising  tlieir 
levies  and  making  other  ])re|>arations,  which  brought  the  expedition 
too  late  in  the  season,  and  they  were  also  accused  of  furnis-liiiig  in- 


28 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1717. 


I 


competent  pilots.  It  is  probable  thnt  the  first  accusation  was  not 
without  foundation,  since  it  has  been  a  known  national  failiiii;  to  de- 
fer all  military  preparations  to  the  latest  possible  moment,  frmu  the 
day  the  country  has  been' peopled  ;  though  the  last  was  no  doubt  un- 
merited,  as  there  could  be  no  mofive  for  furnishinjr  any  other  pilots 
than  the  best  that  the  colonies  possessed.  On  the  part  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, the  admiral,  and  the  English  commanders  in  general,  were 
said  to  be  opinionated  and  indisposed  to  take  advice ;  a  charge 
quite  as  likely  to  be  true,  as  it  also  accords  with  national  character, 
and  more  especially  with  the  superciliousness  with  which  the  English 
were  known  to  regard  the  provincials.  The  admiral  threw  the  re- 
sponsibility of  having  hove-to  the  fleet  on  the  pilots,  who,  in  their 
turn,  declared  that  it  was  done  contrary  to  tlieir  advice.  Some 
French  pilots  are  said,  by  Charlevoix,  to  have  warned  the  admiral 
of  his  danger  also,  but  he  equally  disregarded  their  information.  It 
is  in  favour  of  the  provincials,  that,  one  small  victualler  excepted, 
none  of  their  own  vessels  were  lost,  and  that  the  crew  of  this  vic- 
tualler was  saved.  Many  of  the  pilots  were  sent  to  England  to  be 
examined  before  the  Privy  Council,  but  no  investigation  into  the  af- 
fair took  place.  The  loss  of  the  admiral's  papers  is  thought  to  have 
put  an  end  to  the  contemplated  inquiry,  the  Edgar  having  been 
blown  up,  by  accident,  at  Plymouth,  shortly  after  her  return,  by 
which  event  400  men  lost  their  lives  ;  thus  terminating  a  most  dis- 
astrous expedition  by  a  dire  calamity.  It  ought  to  be  mentioned, 
that  the  colonies  met  the  charge  of  delay,  by  showing  that  the  orders 
to  raise  troops,  and  to  make  the  other  requisite  preparations,  were 
received  only  sixteen  days  before  Sir  Hovenden  Walker  arrived  in 
port  with  his  fleet. 

As  late  as  the  year  1713,  Trumbull  enumerates  the  shipping  of 
Connecticut  at  only  2  brigs,  20  sloops,  and  a  number  of  smaller  craft. 
The  seamen  he  estimates  at  120!  On  the  other  hand,  the  com- 
merce of  Massachusetts,  as  appears  by  the  custom-house  returns, 
taken  between  the  years  1714  and  1717,  employed  2.'>,40()  tons  of 
shipping,  492  vessels,  and  3493  sea-faring  persons.  The  first 
schooner,  a  description  of  vessel  now  so  much  in  use  in  America  as 
almost  to  be  deemed  national,  is  said  to  have  been  built  nt  Cape  Ann, 
by  Captain  Henry  Robinson,  in  1714.  Her  name  has  been  unfor- 
tunately lost. 

The  pirates  rather  increased  than  diminished  after  the  ])eace  of 
1713,  frequenting  the  American  coast  much  more  than  had  been 
their  practice  in  the  preceding  century.  They  had  reached  to  New 
Providence,  whence  they  proceeded  both  north  and  south,  in  their 
predatory  excursions.  Samuel  Bellamy,  in  the  ship  Whidali,  of  23 
guns  and  130  men,  was  one  of  the  most  formidable  of  these  free- 
booters, and  he  even  had  the  audacity  to  come  oft'  the  coast  of  New 
England,  in  1717,  where  he  made  several  prizes.  At  length  he  was 
wrecked,  with  his  captured  vessels,  on  Cajjc  Cod,  and  most  of  the 
gang  were  lost.  More  than  a  hundred  bodies  'vnshed  ashon^  and 
six  of  those  who  escaped  were  seized,  tried  at  Boston  and  executed. 

well 


The  following  year,  the  celebrated  Captain  Woods  Rogers,  so 


1678.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


29 


known  for  his  exploits  on  the  Spanisli  Main,  was  sent  against  New 
Providence,  with  a  small  squadron  of  King's  ships,  carrying  a  pro- 
clamation of  pardon  to  all  those  who  would  abandon  their  lawless 
practices,  and  return  to  honest  industry.  The  island  was  captured 
without  resistance,  and  possession  taken  for  the  English  crown. 
Most  of  the  freebooters  accepted  o^  the  amnesty,  though  a  party  of 
ninety,  under  the  command  of  one  Vane,  seized  a  sloop,  and  made 
their  escape.  One  gang,  about  thirty  in  number,  repaired  to  the 
coast  of  the  Carolinas,  where  they  established  themselves  near  the 
mouth  of  Cape  Fear  River,  and  continued  their  depredations.  Mr. 
Wyiiam  Rhett,  whose  gallantry  and  enterprise  have  already  been 
mentioned,  was  sent  out  against  them  by  Governor  Johnson  of  North 
Carolina,  in  a  vessel  of  some  force.  This  officer  captured  a  sloop 
commanded  by  Steed  Bonnet,  and  manned  by  thirty  of  the  free- 
booters. Shortly  after,  the  Governor  himself  went  in  person  against 
the  remainder,  and  falling  in  with  another  sloop,  a  desperate  en- 
gagement took  place,  in  which,  it  would  seem,  it  was  the  intention 
not  to  give  quarter,  as  nearly  all  in  the  sloop  were  slain.  Those 
who  escaped  death  in  the  action,  were  immediately  tried,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  one  man,  hanged.  These  severe  blows  did  much 
towards  clearing  the  coast  of  freebooters,  though  we  find  that  a  gang 
of  twenty-five  more  were  taken  into  Rhode  Island,  in  1723,  by  a 
British  sloop  of  war,  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged.  How  many  were 
executed,  is  not  known. 

The  peculiar  condition  of  America,  where  land  of  the  greatest 
fertility  abounded,  while  manual  labour  was  difficult  to  be  obtained, 
earlj'  introduced  into  the  colonies  the  traffic  in  slaves,  though  it 
speaks  favourably  for  the  people  of  the  country,  that  they  generally 
received  this  species  of  succour  with  reluctance ;  and  a  long  period 
elapsed  before  the  trade  became  important.  It  would  exceed  our 
proper  office  were  we  to  enter  into  a  continuous  history  of  this  branch 
of  American  commerce,  and  we  shall  c(  c  our  remarks,  therefore, 
to  the  few  facts  that  were  connected  with  its  navigation. 

The  first  negro  slaves  brought  into  the  country,  were  landed  from 
a  Dutch  man-of-war,  at  James  Town,  in  1620.*  Where  these  poor 
Africans  were  obtained  is  not  now  known,  but  they  were  most  prob- 
ably the  victims  of  perfidy.  The  increase  among  the  blacks  was 
very  slow,  however;  for  thirty  years  later  the  whites  of  Virginia  were 
said  to  outnumber  the  negroes,  in  the  proportion  of  fifty  to  one;  and 
even  when  the  colony  had  been  settled  seventy  years,  the  slaves 
were  not  at  all  numerous.t 

The  first  American  vessel  engaged  in  the  slave  trade,  of  which  we 
have  any  account,  sailed  from  Boston,  for  the  coast  of  Guinea,  in 
1645,  having  been  fitted  out  by  Thomas  Keyser  and  James  SmiA.f 
The  last  of  these  worthies  was  a  member  of  the  church.  To  the 
credit  of  the  people  of  Boston,  their  sense  of  right  revolted  at  the  act, 
the  parties  concerned  were  arraigned,  and  the  slaves  were  ordered  to 
be  restored  to  their  native  country  at  the  public  expense. 


I: 


'  Beverly. 


t  Bancroft. 


t  Bancroft. 


80 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


1739.] 


Redemptioners  were  also  early  introduced  into  the  country  n»  net- 
vanta,  as  well  as  the  prisoners  taken  in  the  battles  of  the  civil  wars. 
Thus  the  John  and  Sarah,  which  arrived  at  Boston  in  165'2,  brought 
with  her  freight  for  the  Scotch  prisoners  taken  at  Dunbar.*  Many 
of  the  Royalists  taken  at  the  battle  of  Worcester  were  also  trans- 
ported and  sold  into  servitude.  The  leaders  of  the  insurrection  of 
Penruddock  shared  the  same  fate.  Many  of  the  prisoners  taken  in 
Monmouth's  rebellion  were  sentenced  to  transportation  in  turn.  In- 
deed, at  this  period,  England  appeared  to  think  America  the  best 
receptacle  of  her  discontented,  whether  in  religion  or  politics. 

As  recently  as  1724,  the  importation  of  slaves  into  the  Caroligas 
amounted  to  but  439  souls.  The  trade  was  entirely  in  British  ships. 
At  a  later  day,  however,  Rhode  Island,  and  some  of  the  other  colo- 
nies, engaged  extensively  in  their  traffic. 

We  turn  with  satisfaction  to  the  whale  fisheries.  The  commence- 
ment of  this  manly,  lucrative,  and  hardy  pursuit  dates  from  an  early 
period  in  the  history  of  the  country.  The  whale  frequenting  the 
American  seas,  at  that  time,  the  people  of  the  coasts  kept  boats, 
organised  themselves  into  gangs,  and  whenever  a  spout  was  seen, 
they  would  launch  in  pursuit.  This  irregular  system  prevailed  many 
years,  until  sloops,  and  other  small  craft,  began  to  be  employed  in 
the  offing.  These  vessels  would  range  the  coast,  as  far  south  as  the 
West  Indies,  and  north  to  Davis's  Straits.  They  occasionally  cross- 
ed to  the  Azores,  where  a  rich  booty  was  sometimes  obtained  in  the 
spermaceti. 

The  whale  fishery  on  a  larger  scale,  dates  from  about  the  middle 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  Massachusetts  in  particular,  engaged 
extensively  in  the  enterprise.  This  colony  alone  is  said  to  have  liud 
no  less  than  three  hundred  vessels  employed  in  the  northern  and 
southern  whale  fisheries  previously  to  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 
Her  vessels  led  the  way  to  the  South  Atlantic,  to  the  African  coast, 
and  to  the  Pacific  Ocean. 

In  1731,  Pennsylvania  owned  6000  tons  of  shipping,  and  Massa- 
chusetts near  38,000,  of  which  about  one  half  were  in  the  European 
trade;  while  the  entrances  into  New  Yoik  in  1737  reached  to  211 
sail,  and  the  clearances  to  220.  About  the  same  time  Philadelphia 
had  211  of  the  former,  and  215  of  the  latter.  At  this  period  in  the 
history  of  the  country  (1739,)  Newport  had  a  hundred  sail  of  ship- 
ping of  diflferent  sizes. 

After  the  war  which  was  terminated  by  the  peace  of  Utrecht,  most 
of  the  maritime  colonies  employed  a  species  of  guarda-costas,  small 
armed  vessels,  that  were  maintained  for  the  suppression  of  piracies, 
and  for  the  general  protection  of  the  coasts.  Some  of  these  vessels 
were  commanded  by  young  officers,  who  afterwards  rose  to  more  or 
less  distinction,  either  at  home,  or  in  the  British  service.  Among 
others  was  Lieutenant  Wooster,  afterwards  Captain  Wooster,  who 
commanded  the  armed  vessel  employed  by  Massachusetts.  This 
gentleman  was  subsequently  killed  at  Danbury,  during  the  Revolu- 

*  Suffolk  County  Records,  aa  given  by  Bancroil. 


1745.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


81 


tion,  holding  the  rank  of  a  Brigudier  General  in  the  mihtia  of  hit 
native  state. 

England  declared  war  in  1739  against  Spain,  and  the  American 
Colonics  became  the  seat  of  many  of  ht  'epnrations  and  levies. 
Natives  of  this  country  were  much  employca  in  the  ditTerent  expe- 
ditions, and  it  is  well  known  that  the  estate  which  has  since  acquired 
so  mucli  celebrity  on  account  of  its  having  been  the  property  of 
Washington,  obtained  the  appellation  of  Afount  Vernon  from  the 
circumstance  that  an  elder  brother,  from  whom  that  great  man  in- . 
herited  it,  had  served  in  the  celebrated  attack  against  Carthagena, 
under  the  admiral  of  that  name.  In  1741,  the  colonies  supplied 
many  of  the  transports  sent  against  Cuba. 

The  year  1744  became  memorable  in  the  history  of  the  colonies, 
by  another  declaration  of  war  against  France.  By  this  time  the  im- 
portance of  all  the  American  provinces,  whether  English,  French,  or 
Spanish,  wa'*  certain  to  render  them,  more  or  less,  scats  of  the  con- 
tests; and  the  great  European  states  interested,  were  now  found 
seriously  exhibiting  their  power  in  the  Western  hemisphere.  The 
short  duration  of  the  war,  probably,  alone  prevented  America  from 
being  the  scene  of  those  severe  struggles  that  were  deferred  a  few 
years  by  the  peace  of  Aix  la  Chapelle.  Short  as  was  the  contest, 
however,  it  afforded  the  colonists  an  opportunity  of  manifesting  both 
their  spirit  and  their  resources,  by  an  expedition  against  Louisbourg. 

The  French  had  long  been  aware  of  the  importance  of  a  port  that 
commanded  the  entrance  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  as  Gibraltar  com- 
mands the  a])proach  to  the  Mediterranean,  and  vast  sums  of  money 
had  been  expended  on  the  fortifications  of  Louisbourg.  It  is  said 
that  no  less  than  $6,000,000  were  appropriated  to  this  object,  and  a 
quarter  of  a  century  had  been  consumed  in  the  preparations.  The 
place  was  so  formidable  as  to  have  been  termed  a  second  Dunkirk. 
So  conscious  had  Massachusetts  become  of  her  strength,  however, 
that  no  sooner  was  the  declaration  of  war  known,  than  Governor 
Shirley  laid  propositions  before  the  English  ministry  and  the  colonial 
legislature,  for  the  reduction  of  this  great  naval  and  militaiy  station. 
The  General  Court  of  Massachusetts,  at  first,  was  afraid  to  embark 
in  so  serious  an  enterprise  without  assurances  of  support  from  home, 
as  England  was  then  affectionately  termed,  but  the  people  of  the 
colony  getting  a  knowledge  of  the  Governor's  wishes,  seconded  hira 
so  strongly  with  petitions,  that  the  measure  was  finally  carried  by  a 
majority  of  one.  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island  and  New  Hampshire 
lent  their  aid,  and  by  the  25th  of  March,  1745,  the  expedition  was 
ready  to  sail.  Not  a  British  soldier  was  employed,  and  when  the 
fleet  left  Boston,  it  was  with  very  uncertain  hopes  of  being  supported 
by  any  of  the  king's  ships. 

The  land  forces,  all  levies  of  New  England,  no  other  colony  join- 
ing in  the  enterprise,  were  led  by  Colonel  William  PeppereJ,  of  Kit- 
tery,  in  Maine,  and  the  fleet  was  commanded  by  Captain  Edward 
Tyng,  of  the  Massachusetts  colonial  marine.  The  naval  part  of 
these  forces  consisted  principally  of  vessels  equipped,  or  hired,  for 
this  especial    service.     There  appear  to  have  been  twelve  in  all, 


I    h 

h 


f^.  I 


■ts 


it-  ? 


32 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1745. 


besides  the  transports,  the  largest  carrying  but  20  guns.  The  land 
forces  nmou tiled  to  4070  men.  From  the  various  and  contradictory 
accounts  of  this  armament,  we  gather  the  following  hst  of  the  colonial 
cruisers  engaged  in  the  expedition,  viz:  Ships,  Massachusetts,  20, 
Commodore  Tyng;  Cojsar,  20,  Captain  Snelling; — Snows,  Shirley, 
20,  Captain  Rouse;  Prince  of  Orange,  IG,  Captain  Smethurst; — 

Brig  Boston  Packet,  16,  Captain  Fletcher;  and  Sloops, 12, 

Donaluie; 8,  Saunders; Bosch; — a  ship  hired  by  Rhode 

Island,  20,  Captain  Griffen,  and  two  vessels  of  16  guns  each,  belong- 
ing to  Connecticut. 

It  is  a  circumstance  worthy  of  being  rhcntioned,  as  characteristic 
of  the  manners  of  the  day,  and  of  the  habitual  thrift  ot  the  New 
England  colonists,  that  Governor  Shirley,  in  his  written  instructions, 
lays  great  stress  on  an  order  for  the  8hij)s  to  go  well  provided  w  ith 
cod-lines,  in  order  to  subsist  the  troops  and  seamen,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, on  the  products  of  the  sea. 

The  fleet  reached  Canseau  on  the  4th  of  April,  where  it  remained 
some  weeks,  to  be  joined  by  the  levies  of  New  Hampshire  and  Con- 
necticut, ns  well  as  to  allow  time  for  the  ice  to  dissolve  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  Cape  Breton.  For  the  first  time,  pro'jably,  in  the  history 
of  the  colonies,  large  military  preparations  had  be^n  made  in  season, 
and  the  result  triumphantly  showed  the  benefit  of  the  unwonted 
alacrity.  Here  Commodore  Warren,  of  the  British  navy,  joined  the 
expedition,  with  a  part  of  the  West  India  squadron,  in  which  seas, 
and  on  the  American  coast,  he  had  long  commanded.  This  excellent 
and  efficient  officer,  than  whom  there  was  not  a  braver  in  the  British 
marine,  brought  with  him  the  Superb,  60,  and  three  ships  of  forty 
guns;  his  broad  pennant  flying  in  the  former.  Of  course,  he  as- 
sumed the  command  of  the  naval  ((pi;rati'  na,  though  great  distrust 
appears  to  have  existed  between  him  and  Colonel  Pepperel  to  the 
last.  Atter  a  conference  with  tlie  latter,  he  went  off"  Louisbourg, 
which  he  blockaded. 

Louisbourg  was  invested  by  land  on  the  30th  of  April,  and  after  a 
vigorous  siege  of  forty-seven  days,  during  which  time  a  severe  can- 
nonade Avas  carried  on,  the  place  submitted.  The  French  flags  were 
kept  flying  for  some  time  aller  the  surrender,  by  which  ruse  two  East 
Indiamen  and  a  South  Sea  ship,  all  richly  laden,  were  decoyed  into 
the  mouth  of  the  harbour  and  captured.  The  value  of  these  three 
vessels  has  been  estimated  as  high  as  $3,000,000. 

While  cruising  off"  the  port,  Commodore  Warren  captured  the 
French  man-of-war  Vigilant,  60,  with  troops  and  supplies  for  the 
garrison.  This  important  event,  no  doubt,  was  of  great  moment  to 
the  result  of  the  siege. 

Although  the  naval  part  of  the  colonial  expedition  could  have  been 
of  no  great  account  after  the  arrival  of  Commodore  Warren,*  it  took 
the  sea  with  creditable  vigour,  as  soon  as  Louisbourg  had  submitted. 
The  Shirley,  Galley,  20,  Captain  Rouse,  or  as  the  vessel  is  some- 

•  It  has  beon  pretended  that  the  Viffilant  60,  was  captnrod  by  the  colonial  ship  Massa- 
chnsetts  20,  Coniniodore  Tyng ;  but  this  statement,  ln'sides  being  highly  improbable  in 
itself,  is  not  properly  sustained  by  the  histories  of  the  day. 


1747.] 


NAVAL  niaToi|¥. 


33 


times  culled,  tlic  Snow,  Shirley,  ciiptun  ight  Frei  li  ¥#•»«••!  nwd, 
in  one  instance,  she  broufijlit  in  two,  tuktii  after  u.i  ob«titi  nnd 
gallant  resistance.     For  this  exploit,  that  officer  received  ,tm- 

mission  of  a  captain  in  the  King's  service. 

No  less  than  400  privateers  are  said  to  have  been  out  fi  rn  the 
colonies  in  this  war,  bnt  the  number  is  so  incredible  ns  to  gi><  i  to 
the  conjectures  that  the  estimate  includes  letters  of  marque  and  boats 
on  the  coast.  Nothing  worthy  of  much  notice  occurred  in  America, 
during  this  short  war,  besides  the  capture  of  Louisbourg,  and  this 
place  was  restored  to  the  French  at  the  peace. 

Previously,  however,  to  this  event,  the  French  menaced  the  whole 
of  the  American  coast,  from  Cape  Breton  to  the  Delaware,  with  two 
serious  invasions,  both  of  which  were  fortunately  defeated;  the  first 
by  the  elements,  and  the  second  by  the  victory  obtained  by  Admirals 
Anson  and  Warren,  in  1747.  The  peace  did  not  take  place  until  the 
following  year,  when  Acadie  was  finally  ceded  to  the  British  crown 
and  took  the  name  of  Nova  Scotia. 

The  general  interest  felt  in  the  fisheries,  and  the  desire  to  extend 
the  commerce  of  the  country,  caused  a  company  in  Philadelphia  to 
undertake  the  discovery  of  a  Northwest  passage.  With  this  object 
the  schooner  Argo,  Captain  Swaine,  sailed  for  Hudson's  Bay,  March 
4th,  1753.  After  an  absence  of  several  months  the  Argo  returned  to 
Philadelphia,  having  effected  little  more  than  obtaining  a  better 
knowledge  of  the  coast,  and  of  the  inlets  of  the  great  bays.  The 
following  year  the  attempt  was  repeated  with  still  less  success,  the 
vessel  having  lost  three  of  her  people  in  an  encounterwith  the  Indians. 


■n 


CHAPTER  III. 

Shipping  of  different  ports,  in  1750 — Practice  respecting  Midshipmen — Old  French  War 
— Sharp  conflict  between  the  Thurloe  and  Les  Deux  Amis — Duty  on  stamps  and  tea — 
Burning  of  the  Gaup* — Destruction  of  the  tea — Battle  of  Lexington. 

The  peace  of  Aix  la  Chapelle  found  the  navigation  of  the  Ameri- 
can colonies  in  a  very  flourishiMg  condition.  More  than  a  century 
had  elapsed  since  the  settlements  had  passed  the  ordeal  of  their  infant 
"Struggles,  and  although  distant  from  each  other,  and  labouring  under 
,he  disadvantages  of  a  scattered  population,  they  were  fast  rising  to 
the  dignity  and  power  of  states.  The  necessity  of  maintaining  all 
their  more  important  communications  by  water,  had  a  direct  ten- 
dency to  encourage  a  disposition  to  the  sea,  and,  although  without  a 
regular  warlike  marine,  their  marcantilc  tonnage  probably  equalled' 
that  of  the  mother  country,  when  considered  in  reference  to  popu- 
lation. The  number  of  souls  in  all  the  provinces,  at  that  period,  did 
not  much  exceed  a  million,  if  the  Indians  be  excluded  from  the 
computation.  Of  the  tonnage  it  is  not  easy  to  speak  with  accuracy, 
though  V  e  possess  sufficient  authority  by  which  to  form  some  gene- 
ral estir  ates.  The  year  of  the  peace,  500  vessels  src  said  to  have 
vo'  ,  I.  3 


34 


NAVAL  IIISTORV 


[1760 


. 


c!<Miri'(l  from  th«  sinjjfl*!  port  of  Boston,  aiul  I'W  to  Iiiivi'  ontcri'tl ;  tliin 
wns  cxchisivrly  of  coiiHti'rs  niid  fishiiijf  vrssrls.  At  l*orf.siiioiitli, 
New  Hampshire,  then;  wvrr-  I'JI  t^lcuriiiicrs  and  7.'l  ••tiirirs,  iM'sidcjs 
'iOO  coa.stin<;  vchscIs  in  rrjjfidar  nnploymnit.  TIh;  trade  of  Niw 
York  and  IMiiladelpliia  was  less  than  that  of  IJosfon,  hut  Ntill  re 
spee.tahh'.  Thus  in  1710,  or  the  year  suceeedinj;  that  of  the  peaee, 
the  eh'aranccs  nt  PhilacU'lphia  were  UOI,  and  the  entries  \M)'.);  while 
Boston,  durinfj  the  same  period,  had  /it)  I  elcaranjies  and  *4!*0  entries 
In  17.'>(),  n  Vf^'ii"  i"  which  the  naviifation  had  sensibly  diminished,  the 
clearances  of  tlu^  former  port  w<'re  'iH(5,  and  the  entries  i!:W.  Many 
ports,  which  have  sincf;  lost  most  of  their  naviifation,  then  enjoyed  o 
rcspectahic  trade,  amonj?  which  may  he  mentioned  N<'W|)ort,  Rhode 
Island,  and  Perth  Amhoy,  New  Jersey. 

The  settlements  ('Xtended  no  where  to  any  «:reat  tlistanco  from  the 
ocean,  the  entire  popidation  l)(>m<j  virtually  ran^jed  alonjf  the  const, 
of  which  the  American  colonies  then  possessed  rather  more  in  extent 
than  that  of  the  entire  coast  of  (he  Island  of  Cireat  Britain.  Some 
of  the  writers  of  tiu!  day  boast  that  tlie  tonnai^e  and  f^utis  emidoyed 
in  privateers  out  of  the  colonies,  diirinjf  the  late  war,  luul  exceeded 
the  tonrmj,''*!  and  ^uns  of  the  royal  navy  of  En<jlan<l,  in  the  reij^'n  of 
Queen  Elizabeth.  Althoujjh  many  of  the  clearances  and  entries 
Just  enumerated,  were,  unquestionably,  those  of  vessels  owned  by  the 
mother  country,  there  is  no  doubt  that  a  very  fair  proportion  belong- 
ed to  the  provinces.  The  ntnuber  of  coastinn;  and  fishing' vessels,  in 
particular,  was  already  ijreat,  Massachusetts  alone  owninj^  nearly  one 
vessel,  of  some  description  or  other,  fiir  each  hundred  inhabitants. 

Up  to  this  period,  the  common  Avhite  oak  of  the  forest  was  the  wood 
principally  used  in  naval  constructions,  tlioufjh  the  chestnut  was  also 
found  serviceable  in  particular  parts  of  the  frames.  The  white  oak 
of  North  America  varies  very  much  in  quality,  accordinsf  to  the  lati- 
tude, and  other  circumstances;  that  which  jjrows  in  the  southern  dis- 
trict, as  well  as  that  which  ijrows  near  the  sca,bein;^  generally  more 
esteemed  than  that  which  is  found  further  north,  or  remote  from  the 
coast.  The  trees,  moreover,  which  have  been  lefl  in  the  open  lands, 
possess  a  value  that  does  not  belonjj  to  those  Avhich  have  acquired 
all  their  properties  in  the  shades  of  the  forest.  But  a  new  era  in  ship 
buildinj^  was  at  hand,  throujjh  the  introduction  of  a  wood  that  g^reatly 
abounded  in  the  more  southern  maritime  rei,'ions  of  British  America. 
In  1750,  a  vessel  called  the  Live  Oak  arrived  in  Charleston,  South 
Corolina,  havinw  been  built  of  the  invaluable  timber  nfler  which  she 
WHS  named,  which  was  now  discovered  to  be  one  of  the  best  materials 
for  naval  architecture  known.  The  Live  Oak  is  said  to  have  been 
the  first  vessel  in  which  this  wood  was  ever  used. 

About  this  time,  it  also  became  a  practice  amon<j  the  gentry  of 
the  American  provinces,  to  cause  their  sons  to  be  entered  as  midship- 
men in  the  royal  navy.  Occasionally  an  American  had  been  trans- 
ferred from  the  colonial  marine  to  that  of  the  king,  but,  hitherto,  very 
few  boys  had  been  regularly  entered,  or  rated,  in  the  service,  with  8 
view  to  adopting  it  as  a  profession.  The  circumstance  that  Wash 
ington  was  intended  for  such  a  life  is  generally  Kiiown,  and  we  now 


1754.] 


NAVAL  III.STORY, 


35 


I(M)k  l):ick  to  tliu  tender  llfl^Otioii  of  luM  iiiolliLT,  which  iiloiMt  prcvviit- 
ed  it,  IIS  to  a  l*rovi(h;iitial  iiitcrt'crfiue  in  hr'hall'ot'  the  iiali(»ii.  Many 
ot'thosi!  who  weru  ihiiH  placed  in  <lio  Ktii^hNh  iiiarint'  rosi;  to  hig;li 
Mtatioiis,  and  Hcvcral  have;  been,  or  Htill  an*,  chkMMi-d  aiiioii<{  the  al>U-Ht 
and  most  useful  otrieei's  in  the  einployniunt  of  the  Urilihh  erown. 
We  uiijfht  even  point  to  u  painful  notoriety  that  a  few  obtained,  l>y 
their  activity  a<;;ainst  the  land  of  their  hirth,  diu'ing  the  war  ol'  the 
Uevolution. 

The  traiKpiility  establiMhed  by  the  treaty  of  Aix  hi  Cha|)elle,  like 
that  produced  by  the  peace  of  Utrecht,  was  of  whort  eontininiiice. 
Disputi's  early  commenced  between  the  Fin^lish  and  French  provin- 
ces, ill  relation  to  their  boiindaricN  ;  and  an  inland  war  actually  broke 
out  between  them  in  1754,  thouij;li  the  peace  of  ICurope  was  not 
immediately  disturbed  by  this  reimite  and  local  contest.  This  siii<;u- 
lar  state  of  tliin<rs  continued  throu;j^hout  1755,  and  the  campaip;ii  of 
that  year  was  one  of  the  most  important  that  had  then  occurred  on 
the  American  continent.  Both  nations  reinforced  their  troops  from 
Europe,  and  stroufj  s(piadrons  were  employed  to  protect  the  convoys; 
but  there  being  no  technical  hostilities,  commissions  were  not  issued 
to  letters  of  umrque  and  privateers.  After  many  ineffectual  attempts 
at  an  accommodation,  however,  the  King  of  (ireat  Britain  nuide  a 
formal  declaration  of  war  on  the  17th  of  May,  175(5. 

Such  was  the  commencement  of  the  struggle  that  in  America  is 
familiarly  called  "  the  old  French  war."  Although  this  contest  w/is 
of  the  last  importance  to  the  colonies,  by  driving  the  French  from 
their  part  of  the  continent,  and  by  leaving  the  savages  without  an 
ally,  its  events  were  more  properly  connected  with  the  movements  of 
armies,  than  with  any  naval  operations  of  magnitude,  so  far  as  the 
latter  belongs  to  the  subject  of  this  work.  The  beginning  of  tiie 
war  was  disastrous,  but  in  the  end,  the  celebrated  Earl  of  Chatham 
succeeded  in  infusing  a  portion  of  his  own  energy  into  the  councils 
of  the  King,  and  from  that  moment  the  most  brilliant  success  re- 
warded his  efforts. 

An  expedition  against  liOuisbourg  was  attempted  in  1757,  under 
Admiral  Ilolbourn,  but  it  was  abandoned  on  ascertaining  that, 
besides  its  regular  garrison  and  important  works,  the  place  was  de- 
fended by  a  fleet  of  17  sail  of  the  line,  which  was  moored  in  the 
harbour.  We  learn  the  growing  importance  of  the  colonies  in  the 
forces  employed  on  this  occasion  ;  Louisbourg  having  a  garrison  of 
6000  regulars,  while  the  army  destined  to  attack  it,  mustered  about 
11,000  English  troops,  besides  provincials.  The  failure  appears  to 
have  arisen  out  of  the  superiority  of  the  French  in  shi])s. 

It  is  worthy  of  being  mentioned,  that,  while  the  Ei'  ish  fleet  was 
cruising  off  Louisbourg  it  met  with  a  heavy  gale,  i  which  one  of 
its  ships,  the  Tilbury,  was  wrecked,  and  more  than  two  hundred  of 
her  crew  were  drowned.  The  remainder  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
French,  who  with  the  humanity  and  courtesy  of  a  great  and  polished 
nation,  feent  the  sufferers  to  Halifax,  under  the  protection  of  a  flag 
of  truce. 

Although  Spain  became  a  party  in  the  war  in  1762,  on  the  side  of 


Tit 


/    V 


36 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1756-62. 


'i     y 


France,  the  circumstance  did  not  materially  vary  the  nature  of  the 
«!xertions  of  the  colonies,  which  were  mainly  directed  to  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  Canadas.  Martinique  and  the  Ilavanna  were  hotli 
captured,  but  the  fleets  emjxloyed  hy  the  English  were  on  a  scale  loo 
large  to  require  the  aid  of  the  light  vessels  of  the  provinces.  Many 
Americans  served  in  these  enterprises,  both  by  land  and  by  water, 
but,  as  is  always  the  case,  when  there  is  metropolitan  power  to  claim 
the  glory,  the  credit  due  their  exertions  was  absorbed  in  the  renown 
of  the  mother  country. 

Peace  was  signed  on  the  lOth  of  February,  17G3,  and  from  that 
day  France  ceased  to  claim  any  portion  of  the  American  Continent 
north  of  Louisiana,  with  the  exception  of  two  insignificant  fishing 
stations,  near  the  outlet  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  The  conquests  of 
this  war  were  an  incipient  step  towards  the  eventual  independence 
of  the  colonies,  since  the  latter  found  themselves  without  any  enemy 
in  their  vicinity,  to  cause  them  to  lean  on  England  for  succour,  or  to 
divert  their  policy  from  those  domestic  measures  which  were  more 
immediately  connected  with  their  internal  prosperity. 

The  northern  colonies  gained  much  credit  by  their  exertions  in  the 
late  war,  having  raised  a  respectable  army  ;  but  less  mention  is  made 
of  their  privateers  than  might  have  been  supposed ;  from  which  we 
are  led  to  infer,  that  the  enterprises  of  this  nature  did  Jiot  attract  as 
much  attention  as  those  which  had  characterised  the  earlier  struggles 
of  the  country. 

At  the  close  of  this  great  contest,  the  original  American  colonies, 
or  those  which  have  since  constituted  the  United  States,  without 
including  the  Floridas  and  Louisiana,  are  supposed  to  have  con 
tained  more  than  1,200,000  souls,  exclusively  of  Indians.  Censuses 
were  actually  taken  in  one  or  two  of  the  provinces.  That  of  Massa- 
chusetts gave  a  return  a  little  exceeding  245,000,  including  5000 
people  of  colour.  That  of  Maryland,  taken  in  1755,  gave  a  total 
of  107,208  whites,  a  number  considerably  exceeding  the  estimates 
after  the  peace. 

This  war,  while,  on  the  part  of  the  colonists,  it  was  so  much  con- 
fined to  expeditions  by  land,  afforded,  notwithstanding,  some  instan- 
ces of  hardihood  and  gallantry  on  the  part  of  the  privateers,  of  which, 
as  usual,  more  or  less  were  at  sea.  One  of  these  actions  deserves  to 
l>e  noticed,  as  it  was  among  the  most  obstinate  of  which  we  possess 
any  authentic  accounts.  It  was  in  January,  1758,  tb.at  tlie  privateer 
Thurloe,  14,  Captain  Mantle,  fell  in  with  the  French  privateer  Les 
Deux  Amis,  10,  Captain  Felix.  The  Thtu'loe  had  a  crew  of  84 
men,  and  Les  Deux  Amis  a  crew  of  98.  Perceiving  the  superiority 
of  his  antagonist  in  guns,  the  Frenchman  endeavored  to  escape,  but 
finding  this  impossible,  he  ran  him  athwart  hawse,  and  made  a  noble 
effort  to  carry  him  by  boarding.  He  was  met  by  a  resolution  equal 
to  his  own,  and  for  more  than  two  hoiu's  these  small  vessels  are  said 
to  have  remained  foul  of  each  other,  their  crews  contending  for  vic- 
tory, with  all  the  implements  of  destruction  known  to  the  warfare  of 
the  day.  The  Thurloe  alono,  is  said  to  have  thrown  no  fewer  than 
UOO  powder  flasks  and  72  stinkpots,  on  l)oard  her  enemy,  besides 


17G3.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


37 


mrikiiig  a  liberal  use  of  her  jruns  and  small  arms.  The  Deux  Amis 
struck,  probably  subdued  by  the  metal  of  her  adversary,  but  not 
uuril  she  had  rendered  the  combat  one  of  the  bloodiest  in  naval 
annals,  by  the  obstinacy  of  her  resistance.  The  Thurloe  had  12 
men  killed,  and  25  wounded  ;  Les  Deux  Amis  had  more  than  SO 
of  hi3r  people  included  in  the  casualties. 

Although  the  history  of  this  action  is  liable  to  the  distrust  that  ac- 
companies all  accounts  that  are  not  subjected  to  the  investigation  of 
official  forms  and  official  scrutiny,  it  appears  to  be  given,  in  the 
accounts  of  the  day,  with  a  particularity  that  renders  it  worthy  of 
credit. 

Immediately  after  the  peace  of  1763,  commenced  that  legislative 
usurpation  on  the  part  of  the  mother  country,  which  twenty  years 
later  terminated  in  the  independence  of  the  colonies.  It  would  ex- 
ceed the  proper  limits  of  a  work  of  this  character,  to  enter  into  the 
details  of  that  eventful  period,  or  minutely  to  trace  the  progress  of  a 
system  of  encroachments  that  gradually  undermined  the  allegiance 
of  a  people,  whose  confiding  affection  still  resists  the  animosities  of 
two  wars,  and  the  jealousies  and  competition  of  commerce. 

America,  at  the  period  of  which  we  write,  had  that  mental  depend- 
ence on  the  mother  country,  which  the  province  is  known  to  feel  for 
the  metropolis ;  exaggerating  its  virtues,  ])alliating  its  defects,  and 
substituting  its  own  images  for  reason  and  truth.  The  temporary 
alienation  that  succeeded  was  the  work  of  time,  and  it  required  more 
than  ten  years  of  progressive  innovations,  on  the  part  of  the  parlia- 
ment of  Great  Britain,  before  the  more  daring  and  far-sighted  of  the 
American  leaders  could  bring  the  body  of  the  people  up  to  the  point 
of  open  resistance.  All  this  time,  however,  the  provinces  were 
rapidly  increasing  in  numbers,  in  resources,  and  in  a  spirit  of  na- 
tionality, as  opposed  to  the  ancient  sentiment,  which  identified  the 
shildren  of  the  colonists  with  a  land  that  they  still  loved  to  term 
"  home."  As  the  causes  which  led  to  the  great  results  that  followed 
lay  deeper  than  it  was  usiml  for  the  writers  of  the  day  to  consider, 
a  passing  word  on  so  grave  a  subject  may  not  be  thrown  away. 

In  the  age  when  the  American  colonies  were  founded,  and  re- 
ceived their  different  charters  from  the  crown,  the  prerogative  of  the 
King  of  England  was  active,  the  monarch  effectually  ruling  the  em- 
pire, checked  by  the  other  branches  of  the  government.  The  rela- 
tion between  a  prince  and  his  subjects  is  simple,  and,  when  not 
diverted  from  its  legitimate  direction,  it  is  fostering  ai;d  paternal, 
finder  such  circumstances,  and  especially  when  there  exists  no  un- 
usual sources  of  irritation,  the  several  i)arts  of  an  extended  empire 
may  be  govcsrued  ecpiitably  and  on  a  common  i)rinciple  of  justice. 
The  monarch  of  one  portion  of  the  territories  is  the  monarch  of 
another,  and  he  is  supposed  equally  to  respect  the  rights  and  inter- 
ests of  all.  But,  when  the  revolution  of  16S8  put  the  House  of 
Hanover  on  the  throne,  a  system  of  ministerial  responsibility  was 
established,  that  gradually  redticed  the  ])o\ver  of  the  crown,  until  the 
ministers,  who,  in  effect,  form  the  cxcscutive  of  Great  Britain,  got  to 
be  the  creatures  of  parliament,  instead  of  remaining  the  real  servants 


I*  i 


38 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1773. 


.17' 


of  the  prince.  It  is  true,  that  the  King  named  Iiis  cabinet,  or  rather 
its  head ;  but  he  was  compelled  to  name  those  that  parhament  se- 
lected, or  the  latter  stopped  the  supplies.  This  waseftectually  sub- 
stituting the  power  of  parliament,  in  all  the  more  important  relations 
of  the  empire,  for  that  of  the  king;  and,  as  parliament  was  com- 
posed of  a  representation,  direct  and  indirect,  of  a  small  part  of  the 
territory  nominally  subject  to  the  British  Crown,  it  followed  as  a 
consequence,  that  this  portion  of  the  empire,  by  extending  its  legis- 
tion  unduly  over  the  others,  was  substituting  a  new  and  dangerous 
master,  for  a  prince  wlio  might  be  supposed  to  know  no  ditference 
in  his  affection  for  his  subjects. 

While,  however,  this  was  probably  the  principle  that  lay  at  the 
root  of  the  difficulties  with  America,  few  saw  it  in  theory  ;  facts  in- 
variably preceding  opinion  in  a  country  as  purely  practical  as  this. 
Legislative  usurpation,  in  the  abstract,  was  resisted  ;  wliile  few  ])er- 
ceived  the  difference  between  a  legislation  that  was  effectually 
checked  by  tlie  veto  of  an  independent  monarcli,  bearing  an  equal 
relation  to  all  tlie  parts  of  a  vast  empire,  and  a  legislation  that  not 
only  held  this,  but  all  tlie  other  material  powers  of  the  crown,  directly 
or  indirectly,  in  subjection. 

Empires  may  be  held  together  when  the  several  parts  are  ruled 
by  a  central  power  that  lias  a  common,  just,  and  obvious  interest  in 
all ;  but  nothing  short  of  force  can  compel  the  possessors  of  one  de- 
tached territory  to  be  subservient  to  the  interests  of  the  possessors  of 
another.  This  great  obstacle,  then,  lay  at  the  root  of  the  difficulties, 
and,  keeping  out  of  view  the  questions  of  the  day,  which  arose  as 
consequences  rather  tlian  as  causes,  it  is  now  clear  that  the  connex- 
ion could  not  have  been  perpetuated,  while  a  small  fragment  of  the 
empire  so  absolutely  controlled  the  great  and  moving  power  of  the 
state. 

Among  the  offensive  measures  adopted  by  parliament  was  a  duty 
on  stamps,  and  another  on  tea.  By  the  first,  vessels  could  not  regu- 
larly proceed  to  sea,  unless  furnished  with  the  required  stamps  ;  yet 
so  strong  was  the  opposition,  that  ships  actually  ventured  on  the 
ocean  without  the  necessary  papers ;  nor  is  it  known  that  any  seri- 
ous consequences  resulted  fi'om  so  bold  a  step.  In  the  end,  the 
stamp-officers  having  resigned,  and  no  one  being  willing  to  incur  the 
odium  of  filling  their  places,  the  courts  of  justice  themselves,  trans- 
acted business  without  regard  to  those  forms  tliat  the  acts  of  parlia- 
ment had  rendered  necessary.  This  tax  Avas  finally  abandoned,  and 
substitutes  were  sought,  that  were  believed  to  be  more  manageable. 

Fresh  attempts  to  enforce  the  navigation  act,  which  had  virtually 
become  a  dead  letter,  were  made  in  1768,  and  a  sloop  from  P'  leira, 
loaded  with  wine,  was  actually  seized  in  Boston,  and  placeo  under 
the  guns  of  the  Romney  man-of-war.  A  mob  followed,  and  the 
pul)lic  officers  were  compelled  to  seek  protection  in  the  castle. 

Great  Britain  had  never  maintained  a  body  of  troops  in  lier  colo- 
nies, except  to  protect  them  against  tlie  Frencli  and  IncFians.  These 
soldiers  had  hitlierto  been  principally  kept  on  remote  frontiers  ;  luit 
regiments  were  now  sent  to  Boston,  evidently  with  a  view  to  enforce 


.1772.] 


NAVAL  HISTOUY. 


'o9 


the  ussu  lied  ascendency  oftlie  British  Purliumcnt.  This  step  added 
greatly  lo  the  discontent,  and  eventually  was  the  direct  cause  of  the 
conunencenient  of  hostilities 

OiK^  of  the  rirst  overt  acts  of  resistance  that  took  place  in  thip  cel- 
ebrated struj^jjle,  occurred  in  177:2,  in  the  waters  of  Rhode  Island. 
A  vessel  of  war  had  been  stationed  on  the  coast  to  enforce  the  laws, 
and  a  small  schooner,  with  a  light  armament  and  twenty-seven  men, 
called  the  Gaspd,  was  employed  as  a  tender,  to  run  into  the  shallow 
watcjrs  of  that  coast.  On  the  17th  of  June,  177*2,  a  Providence 
packet,  that  plied  between  New  York  and  Rhode  Island,  named  the 
Hannah,  and  commanded  by  a  Captain  Lin/ee,  hove  in  sight  of  the 
man-of-war,  on  her  passage  up  the  bay.  The  Hannah  was  ordered 
to  heave-to,  in  order  to  be  examined  ;  but  her  master  refused  to  com- 
ply ;  and  being  favoured  by  a  fresh  southerly  breeze,  that  was  fast 
sweepiu!"-  him  out  of  gunshot,  the  Gasp6  was  signalled  to  follow. 
The  chase  continued  for  five-and-twenty  miles,  under  a  press  of  sail, 
when  the  Hannah  coming  up  with  a  bar,  with  which  her  master  was 
familiar,  and  drawing  less  water  than  the  schooner.  Captain  Linzee 
led  the  latter  on  a  shoal,  where  she  struck.  The  tide  falling,  the 
Gasp6  sewed,  and  was  not  in  a  condition  to  be  removed  for  several 
hours. 

The  news  of  the  chase  was  circulated  on  the  arrival  of  the  Hannah 
at  Providence.     A  strong  feeling  was  excited  among  the  population, 
and  towards  evening  the  town  drummer  appeared  in  the  streets,  as 
sembling  the  people  in  the  ordinary  manner.     As  soon  as  a  crowd 
was  collected,  the  drummer  led  his  followers  in  front  of  a  shed  tha 
stood  near  one  of  the  stores,  when  a  man  disguised  as  an  Indian  sud 
denly  appeared  on  the  roof,  and  proclaimed  a  secret  expedition  for 
that  night,  inviting  all  of  "  stout  hearts"  to  assemble  on  the  wharf, 
precisely  at  nine,  disguised  like  himself.     At  the  appointed  hour, 
most  of  the  men  in  the  place  collected  at  the  spot  designated,  when 
sixty-four  were  selected  for  the  undertaking  that  was  in  view. 

This  party  embarked  in  eight  of  the  launches  of  the  different  ves- 
sels lying  at  the  whurves,  and  taking  with  them  a  quantity  of  paving 
stones,  they  pulled  down  the  river  in  a  body.  The  commander  is 
supposed  to  have  been  a  Captain  Whipple,  who  afterwards  held  a 
commission  in  the  service  of  Congress,  but  none  of  the  names  were 
publicly  mentioned  at  the  time.  On  nearing  the  Gasp6,  about  two 
in  the  morning,  the  boats  were  hailed  by  a  sentinel  on  deck.  This 
man  was  driven  below  by  a  volley  of  stones.  The  commander  of 
the  Gaspe  now  appeared,  and  ordering  the  boats  off,  he  fired  a  pistol 
at  them.  This  discharge  was  returned  from  a  musket,  and  the  offi- 
cer was  shot  through  the  thigh.  By  this  time,  the  crew  of  the  Gaspe 
had  assembled,  and  the  party  from  Providence  boarded.  The  con- 
flict was  short,  the  schooner's  people  being  knocked  down  and  se- 
cured. All  on  board  were  put  into  the  boats,  and  the  Gasp6  was  set 
on  lire.     Towards  morning  she  blew  up. 

This  bold  step  naturally  excited  great  indignation  in  tiie  British 
olVicers,  and  all  possible  means  were  taken  to  discover  the  offenders. 
The  Government  at  home  offered  a  reward  of  iClOOO  sterling  for  the 


40 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1773. 


I 


leader,  and  £500  to  any  person  who  would  discover  the  other  par 
ties,  with  tlie  promise  ot'a  pardon  shoidd  the  informer  be  an  accom- 
plice. But  the  feehng  of  the  times  was  too  higli  for  the  ordinary 
means  of  detection,  no  evidence  having  ever  been  obtained  sufficient 
even  to  arraign  a  soHtary  individual,  notwithstanding  a  Commission 
of  Inquiry,  under  the  Great  Seal  of  Enghxnd,  sat  with  that  object, 
fi'om  January  to  June,  during  the  year  1773. 

Although  this  affair  led  to  no  immediate  results,  it  doubtless  had 
its  influence  in  widening  the  breach  bgtween  the  opposing  parties, 
and  it  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  in  it  was  shed  the  first  blood  that 
flowed  in  the  struggle  for  American  Independence  ;  the  whole  trans- 
action being  as  direct  a  resistance  to  oppression,  as  the  subsequent, 
and  better  known  fight  at  Lexington. 

The  year  1773  is  memorable  in  American  history,  for  the  resist- 
ance made  by  the  colonists  to  the  duty  on  tea.  By  means  of  some 
management  on  the  part  of  the  British  ministry,  in  permitting  the 
East  India  Company  to  export  their  teas  free  of  charges,  it  was  pos- 
sible to  sell  the  article  at  a  lower  rate  in  America,  subject  to  the  duty, 
than  it  could  be  sold  previously  to  the  imposition  of  the  tax.  Fan- 
cying that  this  circumstance  would  favour  the  views  of  all  the  par- 
ties in  Europe,  for  the  warehouses  of  the  company  were  gluttet'  in 
consequence  of  the  system  of  non-importation  adopted  by  the  colo- 
nists, several  cargoes  were  sent  to  different  ports,  including  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  Charleston  and  Boston.  The  inhabitants  of 
the  two  former  places  compelled  the  ships  to  return  to  London, 
without  unloading,  while  the  people  of  Charleston  caused  their  vessel 
to  be  discharged,  and  the  tea  to  be  stored  in  damp  cellars,  where  it 
finally  spoiled. 

Three  ships  loaded  with  the  ofTensive  article  had  been  sent  to 
Boston,  and  the  inhabitants  succeeded  in  persuading  their  masters 
to  consetit  to  return  to  London,  without  discharging,  but  the  con- 
signees refused  to  release  them  from  their  charter-parties,  while  the 
authorities  denied  the  necessary  clearances.  The  Governor  even 
withheld  the  permit  necessary  to  pass  the  fort.  This  conduct  pro- 
duced great  excitement,  and  preparations  were  made  to  destroy  the 
tea,  under  an  apprehension  that  it  might  be  gradually  and  clandes- 
tinely landed.  Suddenly,  in  the  dusk  of  the  evening,  a  party  dis- 
guised as  Indians,  and  which  has  been  differently  represented  as 
composed  of  twenty  men  up  to  eighty,  appeared  in  the  streets, 
marching  swiftly  in  the  direction  of  the  wharves.  It  was  followed 
by  a  mob,  and  proceeded  to  one  of  the  tea-ships,  which  it  boarded, 
and  of  which  it  took  possession  without  resistance.  The  hatches 
were  broken  open,  and  the  chests  of  tea  were  struck  on  deck,  staved, 
and  their  contents  were  thrown  into  the  water.  The  whole  pro- 
ceedings were  conducted  in  the  most  orderly  manner,  and  with  little 
or  no  noise,  the  labourers  seldom  speaking.  So  much  mystery 
attended  this  affair,  that  it  is  not  easy,  even  at  this  remote  day,  to 
ascertain  all  the  particidars  ;  and,  fiithongh  the  names  of  the  actors 
have  been  mentioned  openly  of  late,  for  a  long  period  apprehensions 
are  said  to  have  been  entertained,  by  some  engaged — men  of  wealth 


1773.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


41 


— that  they  iui;^lit  yet  be  made  the  subjects  of  a  prosecution  for  ilam- 
ai^es,  by  tlie  East  India  Company.  Tlu'ee  hundred  and  forty-two 
clie.sts  of  tea  were  destroyed,  which  was  probably  the  cargo  of  a 
siuijle  ship,  the  two  others  quittinjj  tlie  port  soon  after. 

This  daring  act  was  followed  by  the  Boston  Port  Bill,  a  political 
•measure  that  was  e(pially  high-handed,  since  it  denied  the  peo|)le  of 
tiio  town  all  direct  participation  in  commerce.  This  sudden  check, 
at  twenty  days'  notice,  to  the  trade  of  a  place  that,  the  jirevious  year, 
Iiad  seen  41 1  clearances,  and  587  entries,  to  and  from  foreign  ports, 
produced  much  distress  in  the  town  itself,  and  greater  indignation 
throughout  the  country.  It  had  been  the  misfortune  of  England, 
never  to  understand  the  character  of  the  peojile  of  the  American 
colonies;  for,  accustomed  to  dependencies  that  liad  been  hund)led 
by  concpiost,  she  had  not  yet  learned  to  appreciate  tlie  spirit  of  those 
who  were  rapidly  shooting  up  into  political  manhood  by  their  own 
efforts,  and  who  had  only  placed  themselves  in  the  situation  they  oc- 
cujiied,  because  they  had  found  the  liberty  of  England  herself,  in- 
sufficient for  their  opinions  and  wants. 

The  jjeople  now  began  seriously  lo  prepare  for  an  appeal  to  force, 
and  they  i)rofited  by  the  liberty  that  was  still  left  them,  to  organise 
military  corps,  with  a  view  to  recover  that  which  they  had  lost.  A 
Congress  of  representatives  from  the  different  colonies  convened, 
and  a  system  of  organisation  and  concert  was  adopted,  that  served 
to  unite  as  many  as  possible  in  the  struggle  that  was  fast  ai)proaching. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year  1774,  various  steps  were  taken  in 
different  parts  of  the  country,  that  had  a  direct  bearing  on  the  civil 
war  that  was  known  to  be  at  hand.  Laws  had  been  passed  in  Eng- 
land, prohibiting  the  exportation  ol'  arms  and  military  supplies  to 
America,  and  the  cannon  and  powder  of  the  Crown  M'ere  seized  at 
various  points,  either  by  the  local  governments,  or  by  private  indi- 
viduals. Twenty-six  guns,  of  different  calibers,  were  found  on  Fort 
Island  and  carried  to  Providence,  and  the  people  of  Rhode  Island 
are  said  to  have  got  possession,  in  the  whole,  of  quite  forty  guns,  by 
these  bold  measures.  At  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  a  body  of 
400  men  jiroceeded  to  the  castle,  at  the  harbour's  mouth,  kept  the 
garrison  in  check,  and  breaking  open  the  magazine,  they  carried  off 
one  hundred  barrels  of  powder. 

While  means  like  these  were  used  to  collect  the  necessary  mili- 
tary equipments,  provisions,  as  well  as  arms,  were  collected  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  country,  in  readiness  for  a  campaign.  Among 
other  dcpQts  of  this  nature  one  had  been  made  at  Concord,  a  snjall 
town  at  the  distance  of  eighteen  miles  from  Boston,  and  General 
Gage,  who  commanded  the  British  forces  in  America,  deemed  it  es- 
sential that  it  should  be  destroyed.  A  strong  detatchment  was  sent 
on  this  service,  and  it  fell  in  with  a  small  body  of  American  minute- 
men  at  Lexington.  These  militia  were  dispersed  by  a  volley,  in 
which  a  few  men  were  killed.  This  affair  has  always  been  consid 
ercd  th(!  commencement  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution  ;  and  justly, 
as  the  hostilities  wliich  were  then  coninionced  did  not  couso,  until  the 
InJepciulence  of  the  Colonics  was  acknowledged  by  Treaty.     The 


42 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1774. 


h  3 


It:       ii 


II     1,! 


British  proceeded  to  Concord,  where  they  eflected  their  ohject 
thouirh  not  Avithout  resistance.  The  people  now  he<jun  to  collect  iu 
force,  and  as  soon  as  the  British  resumed  their  march,  on  their  re 
turn  to  Boston,  tliey  were  assailed  by  the  former  from  behind  the 
walls  and  fences.  So  vigorously  were  the  troops  pressed  on  this  oc- 
casion, that  it  is  thought  they  must  have  surrendered,  hud  I  hey  not 
been  met  by  a  strong  reinforcement,  commanded  by  Lord  INncy, 
which  enabled  them  to  halt  and  recover  their  breath.  As  soon  us 
the  march  was  resumed,  however,  the  provincials  renewed  the  attack, 
and  the  British  did  not  succeed  in  gaining  a  place  of  security,  imtil 
they  reached  Charlestown  neck.  In  this  affair  the  loss  of  the  Amer- 
icans has  been  ascertained  to  have  amounted  to  50  killed,  34 
wounded,  and  4  missing ;  that  of  the  British  to  73  killed,  174  wound- 
ed, and  26  prisoners. 

The  intelligence  of  this  important  event  circulated  like  a  raging 
fire  throughout  the  country,  and  it  was  received  every  where  as  a  call 
to  battle.  Reserve  was  thrown  aside  ;  the  population  flew  to  arms, 
and  the  military  stores  of  the  Crown  were  seized  wherever  they  ct)uld 
be  found.  An  irregular  body  of  20,000  men  appeared  before  Bos- 
ton, with  incredible  rapidity,  and  formed  a  line  confining  the  royal 
army  to  the  occupation  of  the  town.  With  a  view  to  reduce  their 
enemies  to  still  narrower  limits,  Breed's  Hill,  a  height  that  com- 
mands the  inner  harbor  of  Boston,  was  seized,  and  a  redoubt  com- 
menced. This  step  brought  on  the  combat  that  has  since  been 
termed  the  Battle  of  Bunker's  Hill,  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
conflicts  of  modern  times,  and  which  may  be  said  to  have  given  birth 
to  American  Independence.  Washington  was  appointed  Com- 
mander in  Chief  by  the  Congress  of  the  United  Colonies,  and  the 
war  commenced  under  the  usual  laws  of  civilised  nations,  with  the 
exception  of  the  formality  of  a  declaration. 


•I 


r.\ 


CHAPTER  IV. 


Privatoovs — First  nava)  action  of  tlio  Revolution — Sdiooncr  Loo,  Capt.  Manly,  captures 
tlie  Knirlisli  bri;»'  Nancy — Conc:ros8  orders  the  construction  of  vosst-ls  of  war-  Ap|ior- 
tionnieni  of  the  first  otticers  of  llie  navy — Its  maiiai^cmunt — Esok  Hopkins,  Ksi],  ap- 
pf)intcd  "  Coniniander  iu  Cliiof" — First  regular  cruisLM's — Kxpoiliiion  of  Conunodore 
Hopkins — Contest  with  the  Glasgow — The  Edward  captured  by  the  Lexington 

The  thirteen  United  Colonies  that  now  commenced  a  struggle 
with  the  mother  country,  not  to  obtain  a  political  independence,  for 
few  thought  of  so  great  a  cliange  when  blood  was  first  shed,  but  to 
regain  rights  that  were  inherent  in  the  governing  principles  of  the 
institutions  under  which  they  had  long  lived,  and  which  were  assm'ed 
to  them  formally  in  a  variety  of  ways,  possessed  but  scanty  means 
to  contend  with  a  ])ower  like  that  of  Britain.  Their  population  was 
less  than  three  millions,  their  pecuniary  resources  were  of  no  great 


Hi 


I 


1775.] 


NAVAL  IIISTOUY. 


43 


nmouiit,  and  tlicir  inilitury  preparations  insignificant.  But  the  fire 
oftniu  patriotism  Irud  been  kindled,  and  tliat  wliicli  in  otiier  nations 
is  vtiucted  by  means  of  laboured  combinations  and  political  manage- 
ment, the  peojjle  of  America  were  bent  on  doing  of  their  own  vol- 
untary motion  and  united  efforts.  The  colonies  of  New  England,  in 
particular,  which  possessed  a  population  trained  to  liberty;  hardy, 
simple,  ingenious  and  brave;  rose  as  it  miglit  be  to  a  man,  and  as 
this  was  the  part  of  the  country  in  which  the  flame  broke  out,  thither 
we  must  first  direct  our  attention  in  order  to  find  the  earliest  evi' 
deuces  of  its  intensity. 

On  the  ocean,  the  preparations  for  the  struggle  were  even  smaller 
than  those  which  had  been  made  on  the  land.  Congress  had  done 
nothing,  and  the  provisions  for  naval  defence  which,  from  time  to 
time,  had  existed  among  the  different  colonies,  had  never  amounted 
to  more  than  maintaining  the  few  guarda-costas  already  mentioned, 
or  to  the  temjiorary  exertions  of  an  expedition.  As  soon  as  the 
struggle  commenced  in  earnest,  however,  the  habits  of  the  people, 
their  aptitude  for  sea  service,  and  the  advantages  of  both  a  public  and 
n  private  nature,  that  were  to  be  obtained  from  successful  cruising, 
induced  thousands  to  turn  longing  eyes  to  an  clement  that  promised 
so  many  flattering  results.  Nothing  but  the  caution  of  Congress, 
which  body  was  indisposed  at  first  to  act  as  if  general  warfare, 
instead  of  a  redress  of  grievances,  was  its  object,  prevented  a  rushing 
towards  the  private  cruisers,  that  would  probably  have  given  the 
commerce  of  England  a  heavier  and  a  more  sudden  blow,  than  it 
had  ever  yet  received.  But  a  different  policy  was  pursued,  and  the 
orders  to  capture,  first  issued,  were  confined  to  vessels  bringing  stores 
and  sup|)lies  to  the  British  forces  in  America.  It  was  as  late  as  the 
lOih  of  Nov.  177.5,  before  Massachusetts,  the  colony  which  was  the 
seat  of  war,  and  which  may  be  said  to  have  taken  the  lead  in  the 
revolt,  established  courts  of  admiralty,  and  enacted  laws  for  the 
encouragement  of  nautical  enterprise.  Washington  followed  this 
example  by  granting  commissions  to  vessels  to  cruise  in  the  vicinity 
of  Boston,  with  the  object  already  stated.  But  a  due  examination 
of  the  practical  measures  of  that  day,  will  render  it  necessary  to 
separate  the  sul)ject  into  three  branches;  viz.  one  that  refers  solely  to 
the  exertions  of  private,  and  frequently  of  unauthorised  adventures; 
another  that  shall  speak  of  the  proceedings  of  the  different  colonies; 
and  a  last,  which  more  proi)erIy  comprises  the  theme  of  this  work, 
that  shall  refer  to  the  policy  pursued  by  Congress,  in  behalf  of  the 
entire  nation.  In  making  these  distinctions,  we  shall  be  compelled 
to  use  brevity,  as  but  few  authentic  authorities  now  exist,  and  because 
the  sameness  and  unimportance  of  many  of  the  details  deprive  the 
sid)ject  of  any  interest  beyond  that  which  is  connected  with  a  proper 
understanding  of  the  true  condition  of  the  country. 

The  first  nautical  enterprise  that  succeeded  the  battle  of  Lexing- 
ton, was  one  purely  of  private  adventure.  The  intelligence  <if  this 
conflict  was  brouglit  to  Machias  in  Maine,  on  Saturday,  the  9th  of 
May,  1775.  An  armed  schooner  in  the  service  of  the  crown,  called 
the  Margarctta,  was  lying  in  port,  with  two  sloops  under  her  convoy. 


'% 


44 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1775. 


that  were  lontling  with  linnbcr  on  belialf  of  the  King's  government. 

The  bcnrers  of  the  news  were  enjoined  to  be  silent,  a  phin  to  cap- 
ture the  Margaretta  having  been  immediately  projected  among  some 
cf  the  more  spirited  of  the  inhabitants.  The  next  day  being  Sunday, 
it  was  hoped  that  the  officers  of  the  schooner  might  be  seized  while 
in  church,  but  the  scheme  failed  in  consequence  of  the  precipitation 
of  some  engaged.  Captain  Moore,  who  commanded  the  INiargarettu, 
saw  the  assailants,  and,  with  his  officers,  escaped  through  the  win- 
dows of  the  church  to  the  shore,  where  they  were  protected  by  the 
guns  of  their  vessel.  The  alarm  was  now  taken,  springs  were  got 
on  the  Rlargaretta's  cables,  and  a  few  harmless  shot  were  Ored  over 
the  town,  by  way  of  intimidation.  After  a  little  delay,  however,  the 
schooner  dropped  down  below  the  town,  to  a  distance  exceeding  a 
league.  Here  she  was  followed,  summoned  to  surrender,  and  fn"ed 
.  on  from  a  high  bank,  which  her  own  shot  could  not  reach.  The 
Margaretta  again  weighed,  and  running  into  the  bay,  at  the  con- 
fluence of  the  two  rivers,  anchored. 

The  following  morning,  which  was  Monday,  the  11th  of  May, 
four  young  men  took  possession  of  one  of  thef  lumber  sloops,  and 
bringing  her  alongside  of  a  wharf,  they  gave  thrsc  cheers  as  a  signal 
for  volunteers.  On  explaining  that  their  intentions  were  to  make  an 
attack  on  the  Margaretta,  a  party  of  about  ihirty-five  athletic  men 
was  soon  collected.  Arming  themselves  with  fire-arms,  pitchforks, 
and  axes,  and  throwing  a  small  stock  of  provisions  into  the  sloop, 
these  spirited  freemen  made  sail  on  their  craft,  with  a  light  breeze  at 
northwest.  When  the  Margaretta  observed  the  approach  of  the 
sloo))  she  weighed  and  crowded  sail  to  avoid  a  conflict  that  was  every 
way  undesirable,  her  commander  not  yet  being  apprised  of  all  the 
facts  that  had  occurred  near  Boston.  In  jibing,  the  schooner 
carried  away  her  main-boom,  but  continuing  to  stand  on,  she  ran 
into  Holmes's  Buy,  and  took  a  spar  out  of  a  vessel  that  was  lying 
there.  While  these  repairs  were  making,  the  sloop  hove  in  sight 
again,  and  the  Margaretta  stood  out  to  sea,  in  the  hope  of  avoiding 
her.  The  breeze  freshened,  and,  with  the  wind  on  the  (pinrter,  the 
sloop  proved  to  be  the  better  sailer.  So  anxious  was  the  Margaretta 
to  avoid  a  collision,  that  Captain  Moore  nowcut  away  his  boats;  but 
finding  this  ineffectual,  and  that  his  assailants  were  fast  closing  with 
him,  he  o])ened  a  fire,  the  schooner  having  an  armament  of  four  light 
guns,  and  fourteen  swivels.  A  man  was  killed  onboard  the  sloop, 
which  immediately  returned  the  fire  with  a  wall  piece.  This  dis- 
char2;e  killed  the  man  at  the  Margaretta's  helm,  and  cleared  her 
*  quarter-deck.  The  schooner  broached  to,  when  the  sloop  gave  a 
general  discharge.  Almost  at  the  same  instant  ilie  two  vessels  came 
foul  of  each  other.  A  short  conflict  now  took  place  with  musketry. 
Captain  Moore  throwing  hand  grenades,  with  considerable  eftect,  in 
person.  This  officer  was  imniediaceiy  aftcrv/ards  shot  down,  how- 
ever, when  the  people  of  the  sloop  boarded  and  took  possession  of 
their  prize. 

The  loss  of  life  in  this  affair  was  not  very  great,  thouirh  twenty 
men,  on  both  sides,  are  said  to  have  been  killed  and  wounded.     The 


1775.] 


P{AVAL  HISTORY. 


45 


force  of  the  Murgaretta,  even  in  men,  was  much  the  most  consider- 
able, though  the  crew  of  no  regular  cruiser  can  ever  equal  in  spirit 
and  energy  a  body  of  volunteers  assembled  on  an  occasion  like  this. 
There  was  originally  no  commander  in  the  sloop,  but  previously  to 
engaging  the  schooner,  Jeremiah  O'Brien  was  selected  for  that 
station.  This  affair  was  the  Lexington  of  the  sea,  for  like  that  cele- 
brated'land  onflict,  it  was  a  rising  of  the  people  against  a  regular 
force,  was  characterised  by  a  long  chase,  a  bloody  struggle,  and  a 
triuni[)h.  It  was  also  the  first  blow  struck  on  the  water,  ailer  the 
war  of  the  American  Revolution  had  actually  commenced. 

The  armament  of  the  Margaretta  was  transferred  to  a  sloop,  and 
Mr.  O'Brien  made  an  attack  on  two  small  English  cruisers  that  were 
said  to  have  been  sent  out  from  Halifax,  expressly  to  capture  him. 
By  separating  these  vessels,  he  took  them  both,  with  little  resistance, 
and  the  prisoners  were  all  carried  to  Watertown,  where  the  provin- 
cial legislature  of  Massachusetts  was  then  assembled.  The  gallantry 
and  good  conduct  of  Mr.  O'Brien  was  so  generally  admired,  that  he 
was  immediately  appointed  a  captain  in  the  marine  of  the  colony, 
and  sent  on  the  coast  with  his  two  last  prizes,  with  orders  to  intercept 
vessels  bringing  supplies  to  the  royal  forces. 

Many  adventures  or  enterprises,  more  or  less  resembling  these  of 
Captain  O'Brien,  took  place  on  different  parts  of  the  coast,  though 
none  of  so  brilliant  and  successful  a  character.  By  way  of  retalia- 
tion, and  with  a  view  to  intimidate,  the  English"  commander-in-chief, 
Admiral  Graves,  sent  a  force  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Mowat,  to 
destroy  the  town  of  Falmouth,  and  four  hundred  buildings  were 
burned.  An  attempt  to  land,  however,  was  repulsed,  when  the  ships 
retired.  This  and  similar  steps,  produced  the  law  of  Massachusetts, 
already  mentioned  as  having  been  passed  in  Nov.  1775,  granting 
commissions  and  directing  the  seizure  of  British  vessels  under  certain 
circumstances,  and  which  consequently  put  an  end  to  the  expeditions 
we  have  classed  an.ong  the  unauthorised. 

The  colony  oiT  Massachusetts  had  recourse  to  energetic  measures 
for  annoying  the  enemy  on  the  coast,  and  for  procuring  military 
supplies.  Many  small  vessels  were  fitted  out  by  that  as  well  as  by 
other  colonies,  and  ships  were  sent  in  different  directions  with  a  view 
to  purchase  the  stores  that  could  not  be  seized. 

The  want  of  powder,  in  particular,  was  so  severely  felt,  that  all 
practicable  means  were  adopted  with  a  desire  to  obtain  it.  Among 
others.  General  Washingt  jn  bort'owed  two  schooners  of  Massachu- 
setts and  sent  them  into  the  Gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  under  the  orders 
of  Captain  Broughton,  to  intercept  two  brigs,  that  were  known  to  be 
bound  to  Quebec,  with  military  stores.  The  brigs  were  not  seen,  but 
ten  other  English  vessels  were  captured  by  Captain  Broughton,  all 
of  which  were  released  as  not  cominjj  within  the  hostilities  meditated 
by  Congress. 

That  body,  however,  was  by  no  means  blind  to  the  importance 
of  naval  means  of  defence,  without  which  no  war  can  ever  be  con- 
ducted with  credit  and  success  by  a  country  situated  like  America; 
and  we  now  have  properly  arrived  at  the  period  wheirit  is  necessary 


.m 


46 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[HTo. 


r  ..I 


.) 


1,1 

Pi; 


1   i: 

?!'       '4 


to  ndverl  to  the  nets  aiul  le<rislatioii  of  the  (leiieral  (lovcniinciit  on 
this  interesting  subject. 

Soon  after  lie  as.sinned  the  comniaut)  of  the  troops  before  Itostoii, 
General  Washinirton,  who  so  deeply  felt  the  want  of  munitions  of 
war  of  nearly  every  dcseription,  issued  several  coniniissions  to  dif- 
ferent small  vessels,  ^nvin<5  their  commanders  instructions  to  cruise 
in  or  near  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  order  to  intercept  the  "British 
store  ships. 

The  first  vessel  that  got  to  sen  under  this  arranjjement,  was  the 
schooner  Loe,  Captain  John  Maidy,  which  sailed  from  Marblehead 
near  the  close  of  Novejnber.  On  the  29tli,  Captain  Manly  fell  in 
with  and  captured  the  Enjrlish  brijj  Nancy,  havinjron  board  ordnance 
stores,  several  brass  fjuns,  a  considerable  stock  of  fn*e-arms,  and 
vnrious  luilitary  supplies.  Amonj^  other  thiuiifs  of  this  nature,  was 
a  larj^e  mortar,  which  was  Justly  deemed  an  inii)ortant  addition  to 
the  means  of  a  besieginij  au'my ;  for,  up  to  this  time,  the  Americans 
before  Boston  were  particularly  in  want  of  artillery  of  every  sort.  On 
the  8th  of  December,  Captain  Manly  captured  three  more  store-ships, 
and  succeeded  in  gettinj;  all  his  i)ri/es  snfely  into  port. 

Although  it  may  not  be  strictly  true  to  term  tbe  Lee,  and  the  other 
small  cruisers  similarly  employed,  the  first  vessels  that  ever  belon«jed 
to  the  General  Government  of  this  country,  they  may  bo  deemed  the 
first  that  ever  actually  sailed  witli  authority  to  cruise  in  behalf  of  the 
entire  republic.  But,  while  we  accord  this  precedency  to  Captain 
Manly  and  his  associates,  who  acted  under  the  orders  of  Washing- 
ton, Congress  itself  had  not  been  altogetber  idle,  and  it  is  probable 
that  tbe  Commander-in-Chief  took  the  step  Just  mentioned  in  ac- 
cordance witli  tb.c  expressed  views  of  that  body. 

The  first  legislation  of  Congress  on  the  subject  of  a  navy,  preceded 
tbe  law  of  Massachusetts,  in  point  of  time,  though  the  act  was  word- 
ed with  greater  reserve.  C  n  the  13tli  of  October,  1775,  a  law  passed 
ordering  one  vessel  of  10  guns,  and  another  of  1 4  guns  to  be  equipped 
as  national  cruisers,  and  to  be  sent  to  the  eastward  on  a  cruise  of 
three  months,  to  intercept  supplies  for  the  royal  troops.  On  the 
29th  of  the  same  month  a  resolution  i)assed  denying  to  private  ships 
of  war  and  merchant  vessels  the  right  to  wear  pennants  in  the  pres- 
ence of  "  continental  ships,  or  vessels  of  war,"  without  the  permission 
of  the  commanding  officers  of  the  latter.  This  law  was  fi*amed  in 
a  proper  spirit,  and  manifested  an  intention  to  cause  the  authorised 
agents  of  the  public  on  the  high  sea,  to  be  properly  respected ;  it 
excites  a  smile,  however,  when  we  remember  that  the  whole  marine 
of  the  country  consisted,  at  the  time,  of  two  small  vessels  that  were 
not  yet  equipped.  The  next  day  another  law  passed,  authorising 
the  fitting  out  of  two  more  cruisers,  oie  to  carry  20,  and  the  other 
36  guns. 

A  change  in  this  cautions  policy  was  produced  by  the  depreda- 
tions committed  by  the  vessels  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Mowat.  When  the  intelligence  of  that  ruthless  proceeding  reached 
Philadelphia,  it  produced  a  general  prize  law,  with  authority  to 
capture  all  British  vessels  that  were  in  any  manner  connected  with 


1775.] 


NAVAL  IIISTOKY. 


47 


the  pciuliii;;  8tni;i?<;lo.  As  tli<5  country  still  nckiinwlcd^rrd  its  con- 
nexion with  the  crown,  |M;rha|)H  this  reserve  in  c<Muhictin<r  tlie  war, 
was,  in  a  measure,  due  to  sound  iiohey.  This  hiw  was  folhtwed  hy 
another,  passed  Deeemher  Ithh,  orderin;^  !•'{  sail  of  cruisers,  to  be 
constructed.  Of  the  latter  vessels,  thr<'e  were  to  lie  uf'ii  ffuns,  live 
of  ilH,  and  five  of  3"2.  Tims  Con;;rcss,  previously  to  the  end  of  the 
year  1775,  had  authorised  a  regular  marine,  to  consist  of  seventeen 
cruisers,  varying  in  force  from  10  to  >V2  guns.  The  keels  of  the 
ships  alluded  to  m  the  last  law,  were  ordered  to  he  laid,  in  the  four 
colonies  of  New  Rngland,  in  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Mary- 
land. The  following  is  a  list  of  tlxir  niames  and  respective  rates,  as 
well  as  of  the  colony  where  each  was  built,  vi/: 


Washington, 

Raleigh, 

Hancock, 

Randolph, 

Warren, 

Virginia, 

Trundiull, 

Effingham, 

Congress, 

Providence, 

Boston, 

Delaware, 

Montgoniery, 


32 — Peimsylvania. 
32 — New  Hampshire. 
32 — Massaclmsetts. 
32 — I'ennsylvania. 
32— lllK.dc  Island. 
28— Maryland. 
28 — Connecticut. 
28 — Pennsylvania. 
28— New  York. 
28— Rhode  Island. 
24 — Massaclmsetts. 
24 — Pennsylvania. 
24— New  York. 


These  vessels  appear  to  have  been  Judiciously  appointed  in  order 
to  ettect  the  object  in  view.  The  resources  of  America  did  not  ad- 
mit of  the  construction  of  ships  of  a  si/e  fit  to  contend  with  the  fleets 
of  England,  and  Imd  the  colonies  been  in  a  condition  even  to  make 
such  an  exhibition  of  their  power,  the  time  necessary  to  organise  a 
proper  marine,  the  want  of  navy  yards,  and  the  impossibility  of  pro- 
curing, in  season,  naval  stores  of  the  required  quality,  would  have 
prevented  them  from  attempting  it.  The  ships  ordered  were  large 
enough  to  resist  the  small  cruisers  of  the  crown,  and  were  well 
adapted  to  destroy  convoys,  and  to  capture  transports  and  store-ships. 
We  are  not,  however,  to  estimate  their  force  by  the  manner  of  rating, 
as  compared  with  similar  rates  in  our  own  time,  the  art  of  ship-build- 
ing and  the  mode  of  equipping  vessels  of  war,  having  undergone 
great  changes  since  the  commencement  of  the  American  Revolution. 
Frigates,  at  that  day,  were  usually  vessels  varying  from  six  hundred 
to  a  thousand  tons,  and  rarely  carried  in  their  main  deck  batteries, 
guns  of  a  metal  heavier  than  eighteen  pounders.  There  was  usually 
no  spar-deck,  but  the  forecastle  and  quarter-deck  were  connected  by 
gangways,  with  gratings  to  cover  a  part,  or  even  all  of  the  inter- 
mediate space.  The  armaments  above  were  light  sixes,  nines,  or 
twelves,  according  to  the  respective  rates,  but  were  commonly  of 
trifling  account.  (IJarronades  had  not  then  been  invented,  though 
they  first  came  into  use  during  this  war.     This  jjun  obtains  its  name 


48 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


,'" 


'( '(''■ 


from  tlio  circuinstnnco  of  its  Imviiijf  l>«eri  first  made  nt  the  villajrc  of 
Curnni,  in  Scotland,  a  place  celebrated  for  its  foundries,  nn  the  bayo- 
net derives  its  appelhition  from  Bayonne  in  France.  It  is  beUt'ved 
it  was  first  used  with  effect,  in  the  battle  between  Lord  Uod«iey  and 
the  Comte  de  (jrasse,  when  it  was  finind  to  he  nn  arm  of  more  efii- 
ciency  than  luul  been  generally  anticipated.  For  some  time  its  use 
was  confined  to  the  English,  nor  did  it  make  its  way  into  the  Ameri- 
can  marine,  until  the  commencement  of  the  present  century,  or  the 
very  close  of  the  last.  Most  of  the  ships  mentioned  in  the  list  jus* 
given,  were  arme«l  with  nines  and  twelves,  having  sixes,  and  even 
fours,  on  their  quarter-decks  and  fiirecastles.  It  is  thought  that  there 
was  no  regular  eighteen  pounder  frigate  constructed  under  the 
laws  of  1775. 

Bad  as  was  the  condition  of  the  Colonies,  as  respects  naval  stores, 
and  the  munitions  of  war,  the  country  might  be  said  to  be  even  worse 
off  for  persons  suited  to  form  a  navy  list.     There  was  no  lack  of 
competent  navigators,  or  of  brave  seamen,  but  the  high  moral  quali- 
ties which  are  indispensable  to  the  acc(mq)lished  otTicer,  were  hardly 
to  be  expected  among  those  .who  had  received  all  their  training  in 
the  rude  and  imperfect  schools  of  the  merchant  service.     Still,  as  a 
whole,  the  merchant  seamen  of  America  were  of  a  class  superior  to 
those  of  most  other  nations;  the  very  absence  of  a  regular  marine, 
which  induced  young  men  of  enterprise  to  incur  the  dangers  of  the 
seas  in  this  mode  in  preference  to  remaining  on  shore,  ond  the;  moral 
superiority  of  the  level  of  the  population,  producirjg  such  a  result.     It 
has  bee  n  said  that  the  gentry  of  the  country  had  begun  to  place  their 
sons  in  the  British  marine,  previously  to  the  commencement  of  tliis 
war;  but,  while  many  instances  occurred  in  which  Americans  threw 
up  tlieir  commissions  in  the  British  army,  in  preference  to  serving 
against  their  native  land,  very  few  of  those  who  had  taken  service  in 
the  navy,  followed  their  example.     The  second  nature  that  the  sea- 
man acquires  in  time,  appears  to  have  drawn  the  cord  too  tight  to 
sulfer  it  to  be  snapped  even  by  the  violent  struggles  of  a  civil  war, 
and  most  of  the  young  men  who  were  born  in  the  colonies,  and  who 
found  themselves  arrayed  against  their  proper  country,  on  board  the 
ships  of  the  king,  continued  to  serve  with  the  undiminished  zeal  and 
singleness  of  purpose,  that  is  apt  to  distinguish  the  fidelity  of  a  sea- 
man to  his  flag.*     The  Committee  of  Congress,  to  which  the  duties 
of  a  Navy  Department  were  assigned,  was  compelled,  in  consequence 
of  these  difficulties,  to  select  the  new  corps  of  officers,  principally,  from 
such  conspicuous  persons  among  the  masters  and  mates  of  merchant 
ships  as  the  country  afforded;  a  few  of  those  who  had  been  trained 
in  the  English  marine,  but  who  had  led  it  previously  to  the  struggle, 
excepted.     The  result  was  such  as  might  have  been  anticipated. 
While  many  gallant  and  suitable  men  were  chosen,  some  of  the 
corps  had  little  to  recommend  them  besides  their  practical  knowledge 
of  seamanship.     These  were  valuable  qualities,  certainly,  but  the 
habits  of  subordination,  the  high  feelings  of  personal  pride  and  sclfl 

"  Wo  nan  (lisoovcr  bnt  a  simple  inBtance  of  an  American's  quitting  the  English  navy 
on  account  of  the  war,  thoufjli  it  is  probable  more  occurred. 


1775.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


49 


respect  tlmt  create  an  esprit  ih  corps,  and  the  moral  coura|{u  and  loAy 
icntiincnts  that  cotne  121  time,  to  tcacli  the  trained  oHicer  to  heUtvo 
any  misfortune  preferahh;  to  profcHsional  disgraee,  were  nut  always 
to  hi!  expttcted  luuhir  Much  eircuniHtances.  In  uhort,  a  service  crtMited 
in  this  informal  manner,  niUMt  neccMttarily  depend  more  on  accidental 
ami  natural  qualities  for  its  huccchh,  than  on  that  ac<piired  character 
which  has  been  found  to  he  ho  competent  a  suliHtitute,  and  which  is 
altoiretiirr  indispeuHahle  when  there  in  a  demand  for  the  complicated 
and  combined  movements  that  can  alone  render  any  arm  eUlcient 
throuirhont  a  series  of  years.  It  is  true,  that  the  colonies  iuid  pos- 
sessed an  irreii[ular  school  for  the  training  of  ollicers,  in  their  provin- 
cial cruisers,  or  guarda-costas;  hut  it  was  neither  sutliciently  ex- 
tended, not  sufliciently  disciplined,  to  atlord  the  supply  that  was  now 
demanded  hy  the  extraordinary  exigencies  of  the  times. 

The  docmnents  connected  with  the  early  history  of  the  navy  of  the 
country,  were  never  kept  with  sufTicicnt  method,  and  the  few  that  did 
exist  have  become  much  scattered  and  lost,  in  consequence  of  there 
having  been  no  n^gular  navy  department;  the  uuthority  of  this  branch 
of  the  government  having  been  exercised  throughout  the  whole  war, 
by  Committees  and  Boards,  the  mend)ers  of  which  have  probably 
retained  manv  documents  of  interest,  as  vouchers  to  authenticate 
their  own  proceedings. 

Among  other  defects  it  1ms  become  impossible  to  establish,  in  all 
cases,  who  did  and  who  did  not  actually  serve  in  the  marine  of  the 
United  States,  officers  so  frc«|uently  passing  from  the  privateers  into 
the  public  vessels,  and  from  the  public  vessels  to  the  privateers,  ns  to 
leave  this  iini)ortant  branch  of  our  subject  involved  in  much  obscurity. 
Before  we  enter  more  fully  into  the  details  on  which  reliance  can  be 
placed,  it  may  be  well,  also,  to  explain  that  the  officers  in  the  navy 
of  the  Confederation  derived  their  authority  from  different  sources, 
a  circumstance  that  adds  to  the  difficulties  just  mentioned.  In  a 
good  many  instances  Congress  made  the  appointments  by  direct 
resoi  ,|,Q„^  of  its  own,  as  will  appear  in  the  case  of  the  officers  first 
named.  Subsequently, the  Marino  Committee  possessed  this  power; 
ind,in  the  end,  not  only  did  the  diplomatic  agents  of  the  Government 
ab»road  exercise  this  high  trust,  but  even  the  commanders  of  squadrons 
and  of  ships  were  put  in  possession  of  blank  commissions  to  be  filled 
at  their  particular  discretion.  It  will  easily  be  understood,  how 
much  this  looseness  in  managing  an  interest  of  so  much  moment, 
increases  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  the  truth. 

Tlmt  the  brave  men  who  acted  under  the  authority  of  Washington, 
at  the  commencement  of  the  contest,  were  not  in  the  navy,  is  evident 
from  the  circumstance  that  several  of  them  obtained  rank  in  the  ser- 
vice, as  the  reward  of  their  conduct  while  cruising  in  the  sort  of  semi- 
official vessels  that  have  already  been  mentioned.  It  has  been  said, 
that  the  first  regular  legislation  of  Congress,  in  reference  to  a  marine, 
with  a  view  to  resist  the  aggressions  of  the  British  Parliament,  dates 
from  a  resolution  of  that  body,  passed  the  13th  of  October,  1775. 
This  resolution  directed  a  committee  of  three,  Messrs.  Deane,  Lang- 
don  and  Gadsden,  to  fit  out  two  swift-sailing  vessels,  the  one  of  ten, 

VOL.    I.  4 


50 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1781. 


and  the  other  of  fourteen  guns,  to  cruise  to  the  eastward,  to  intercept 
the  supplies  and  transports  intended  for  the  British  army  at  Boston. 
Under  this  law  it  is  beheved  that  a  brig  called  the  Lexington,  and  a 
sloop  named  the  Providence  were  equipped ;  though  it  does  not  ap- 
pear that  either  went  on  the  particular  duty  named  in  the  resolution. 
On  the  30th  of  the  same  month,  the  committee  was  increased  to 
seven,  and  a  ship  of  36  guns,  and  another  of  20,  were  ordered  to  be 
provided.  Under  this  law  the  Alfred  and  Columbus  were  purchased, 
though  neither  was  of  the  force  implied  by  the  highest  rate  named. 
The  first  of  these  ships  is  said  to  have  had  a  main-deck  battery  of  20 
nines,  while  her  armament  on  the  quarter-deck  and  forecastle,  varied 
in  the  course  of  her  service,  from  ten  guns  to  two.  At  the  end  of  her 
career  she  carried  no  guns  above.  Less  is  known  of  the  Columbus, 
but  she  is  believed  to  have  had  a  gun-deck  battery  of  18  nines. 
Both  were  clumsy  and  crank  ships,  and  neither  proved  to  be  a  very 
good  sailer. 

On  the  13th  of  December,  of  the  same  year.  Congress  directed  the 
thirteen  ships  of  war  to  be  built,  and  the  next  day  the  Marine  Com- 
mittee was  so  far  increased  as  to  contain  one  member  from  each 
colony  ;  all  the  proceedings  that  have  yet  been  mentioned,  havmg 
been  directed  rather  to  a  redress  of  grievances,  than  to  independence. 

It  will  aid  in  understanding  how  complicated  the  business  of  the 
navy  became,  if  we  here  give  a  brief  outline  of  the  various  modes 
that  were  adopted  in  mrnaging  its  affairs.  To  the  committee  last 
named,  very  extensive  powers  were  given ;  but  in  November,  1776, 
a  "  Continental  Navy  Board,"  of  three  competent  persons,  was  estab- 
lished as  subordinate  to  this  committee  ;  one  being  termed  the 
"  Eastern  Board,"  and  the  other  the  "  Board  of  the  Middle  Dis- 
trict." A  large  portion  of  the  executive  functions  of  the  "  Marine 
Committee"  devolved  on  these  two  "  Boards."  In  October,  1779, 
this  mode  of  proceeding  was  changed,  and  a  "  Board  of  Admiralty" 
was  established,  consisting  of  three  commissioners  who  were  not  in 
Congress,  and  two  that  Avere.  Of  this  Board  any  three  were  com- 
petent to  act.  In  January,  1781,  James  Reed  was  appointed,  by 
special  resolution,  to  manage  the  affairs  of  the  "  Navy  Board"  in 
the  "  Middle  Department ;"  and  in  February  of  the  same  year, 
Alexander  McDougall,  a  Major  General  in  the  army,  who  had  been 
a  seaman  in  his  youth,  was  chosen  *'  Secretary  of  the  Marine."  In 
August  of  the  same  year,  the  entire  system  was  changed,  by  the 
appointment  of  an  "  Agent  of  the  Marine,"  who  had  full  control  of 
the  service,  subject  to  the  resolutions  of  Congress,  and  who  super- 
seded all  the  committees,  boards,  and  agents,  that  had  been  pre- 
viously established  by  law.  Here  closed  the  legislation  of  Congress 
on  this  branch  of  the  subject,  though  we  shall  add  that  the  duties  of 
"  Agent  of  Marine,"  subsequently  devolved  on  the  "  Superintendent 
of  Finances,"  the  celebrated  Robert  Morris,  a  gentleman,  who  ap- 
pears, throughout  the  war,  to  have  had  more  control  over  the  affairs 
of  the  navy,  than  any  other  civilian  in  the  country.  To  return  to  the 
order  of  time. 


1775.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


51 


On  the  22d  of  December,  1775,  Congress  passed  the  following 
resolutions,  viz : — 

"  Resolved,  that  the  following  naval  officers  be  appointed: 

Esck  Hopkins,  Esquire,  Commander-in-Chief. 

Dudley  Saltonstall,  Captain  of  the  Alfred. 

Abraham  Whipple,     do.         do.         Columbus. 

Nicholas  Biddle,        do.        do.        Andrea  Doria. 

John  B.  Hopkins,      do.        do.         Cabot. 

First  Lieutenants,  John  Paul  Jones,  Rhodes  Arnold,  

Stansbury,  Hoysted  Hacker,  Jonathan  Pitcher. 

Second  Lieutenants,  Benjamin  Seabury,  Joseph  Olney,  Elisha 

Warner,  Thomas  Weaver, McDougal. 

Third  Lieutenants,  John  Fanning,  Ezekiel  Burroughs,  Daniel 
Vaughan. 

"  Resolved,  that  the  pay  of  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  fleet, 
be  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  a  month." 

By  this  law  it  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Hopkins  was  not  made  a  cap- 
tain, but  the  "  Commander-in-Chief,"  a  rank  that  was  intended  to 
correspond  in  the  navy,  to  that  held  by  Washington  in  the  army. 
His  official  appellation,  among  seamen,  appears  to  have  been  that 
of  "  Commodore,"  though  he  was  frequently  styled  "  Admiral,"  in 
the  papers  of  that  period.  The  captains  were  particu'arly  named 
to  the  respective  ships,  and  the  law  was  so  construed,  that  the  lieu- 
tenants were  attached  to  the  diffi^rent  vessels  in  the  order  in  which 
they  were  respectively  named. 

By  this  resolution,  or  law,  it  would  appear  that  twQ  brigs,  the 
Andrea  Doria,  and  the  Cabot,  had  been  purchased,  most  probably 
by  the  Marine  Committee,  previously  to  its  passage.  Of  the  precise 
force  of  the  latter  vessel  no  authentic  account  can  be  found,  but  it  is 
thought  to  have  been  16  sixes.  It  appears  by  a  letter  of  Paul  Jones, 
however,  that  the  armament  of  the  Doria  was  14  fours,  and  the  Cabot 
may  have  been  of  the  same  force. 

The  equipment  of  all  the  vessels  mentioned,  as  well  as  of  two  or 
three  more  of  less  size,  was  going  on  in  the  autumn  of  1775,  the 
appointment  of  their  officers  was  made  at  the  close  of  the  year,  and 
the  first  ensign  ever  shown  by  a  regular  American  man-of-war,  was 
hoisted  in  the  Delaware,  on  board  the  Alfred,  by  the  hands  of  Paul 
Jones,  some  time  about  the  last  of  December.  This  event  could 
not  have  occuned  previously  to  the  vote  appointing  a  commander- 
in-chief,  as  we  are  expressly  told  that  the  flag  was  shown  when  that 
officer  first  repaired  on  board  his  ship.  What  that  ensign  was,  is  not 
now  certainly  known,  but  it  is  thought  to  have  been  a  device  repre- 
senting a  pine  tree,  with  a  rattlesnake  about  to  strike,  coiled  at  its 
root,  and  bearing  the  motto  "  don't  tread  on  me."  It  is  certain  that 
such  a  flag  was  used,  at  the  commencement  of  the  Revolution,  and 
on  board  of  some  of  the  vessels  of  war,  though  whether  this  was  the 
flag  worn  by  the  Alfred  is  not  quite  so  clear.  Most  of  the  privateers 
of  the  period  either  wore  the  arms  of  the  colony  from  which  they 
sailed,  and  by  which  they  were  authorised  to  cruise,  or  they  also 
showed  devices  of  their  own,  according  to  the  conceits  of  the  differ* 


m 


W       i. 


52 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1777. 


tliat 


Conjjress 


ent  captains  and  owners.    It  was  not. until  1777, 
formally  adopted  tlie  present  national  colours. 

The  first  regular  cruisers  that  ever  got  to  sea  under  the  new  gov- 
ernment were  the  Hornet  10,  and  Wasp  8,  a  sloop  and  a  schooner 
that  had  been  equipped  at  Baltimore  by  the  Marine  Committee,  and 
which  sailed  in  November,  to  join  the  squadron  under  Commodore 
Hopkins,  in  the  Delaware.  This  passage,  however,  cannot  properly 
be  called  a  cruise.  For  the  first  of  these  we  must  refer  to  the 
squadron  itself.  This  distinction  has  been  claimed  for  the  Lexing- 
ton, Capt.  Barry,  and  we  have  so  stated  the  fact,  in  the  earlier  edi- 
tions of  this  book  ;  but  an  examination  of  the  private  papers  of  that 
officer,  has  shown  us  that  he  was  actually  employed  on  shore,  or  in 
the  Delaware,  for  a  short  time  aflier  Com.  Hopkins  got  to  sea.  The 
first  regular  cruise,  therefore,  ever  made  in  a  vessel  of  the  United 
States,  was  that  made  by  the  squadron,  of  which  we  are  about  to 
relate  the  movements. 

The  plans  of  Congress  had  changed  between  the  time  when  the 
vessels  were  first  ordered  and  that  on  which  they  were  ready  for 
service.  Commodore  Hopkins  was  accordingly  directed  to  proceed 
to  the  southward,  with  a  view  to  act  arainst  the  naval  force,  which 
was  then  ravaging  the  coast  of  Virginia,  under  Lord  Dunmore.  The 
squadron  got  into  the  Bay,  and  rendezvoused  under  Cape  Henlopen, 
early  in  February.  It  consisted  of  the  Alfi-ed  24,  Columbus  20, 
Doria  14,  Cabot  14,  Providence  12,  Hornet  10,  Wasp  8,  and  Fly 
despatch  vessel.  With  this  force  Commodore  Hopkins  went  to  sea 
on  the  17tlj  of  February.  On  the  night  of  the  19th,  as  the  squadron 
was  steering  south  with  a  fresh  breeze,  the  Hornet  and  Fly  parted 
company,  and  did  not  join  again  during  the  cruise.  No  vessel  of 
any  importance  was  met  until  the  ships  reached  Abaco,  in  the  Ba- 
hamas, where  the  squadron  had  been  ordered  to  rendezvotis.  Here 
Commodore  Hopkins  determined  to  make  a  descent  on  New  Provi- 
dence, where  it  was  understood  a  considerable  amount  of  military 
stores  was  collected.  For  this  purpose,  a  body  of  300  men,  marines 
and  landsmen,  under  the  command  of  Captain  Nichols,  the  senior 
marine  officer  of  the  service,  was  put  into  two  sloops,  with  the  hope 
of  surprising  the  place.  As  the  squadron  approached  the  town, 
however,  an  alarm  was  given,  when  the  sloops  were  sent  in,  with  the 
Providence  12,  and  Wasp  8,  to  cover  the  landing.  This  duty  was 
handsomely  performed,  and  Captain  Nichols  got  complete  possession 
of  the  forts,  and  entire  command  of  the  place,  in  the  course  of  the 
afternoon,  and  of  the  following  morning,  after  a  very  insignificant 
resistance.  Unfortunately,  the  governor,  aw£  .e  of  the  motive  of  the 
descent,  found  means  to  send  away  a  considerable  quantity  of  pow- 
der during  the  night.  Near  a  hundred  cannon,  and  a  large  quantity 
of  other  stores,  however,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  On 
this  occasion,  the  first  that  ever  occurred  in  the  regular  American 
Navy,  the  marines  under  Captain  Nichols,  appear  to  have  behaved 
with  the  spirit  and  steadiness  that  have  distinguished  the  corps,  from 
that  hour  down  to  the  present  moment. 

After  retaining  possession  a  few  days.  Commodore  Hopkins  left 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


53 


New  Providence  on  the  17th  of  March,  bringing  away  with  him  the 
governor  and  one  or  two  men  of  note,  and  shaping  his  course  to  the 
northward.  Some  of  the  smaller  vessels  appear  to  have  left  him,  as 
he  proceeded  along  the  coast,  but,  with  the  most  of  his  force  in  com- 
pany, he  arrived  off  the  east  end  of  Long  Island,  early  in  April. 
On  the  4th,  he  captured  a  tender  of  six  guns,  commanded  by  a  son 
of  Commodore  Wallace,  and  on  the  5th  he  fell  in  with  and  took  a 
British  Bomb  Brig  Bolton  8,  Lieutenant  Snead. 

About  one  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  April,  the  squadron 
being  a  little  scattered,  a  large  ship  was  discovered  steering  towards 
the  Alfred.  The  wind  was  light,  and  the  sea  quite  smooth,  and 
about  two,  the  stranger  having  gone  about,  the  Cabot  closed  with 
him,  and  hailed.  Soon  after  the  latter  fired  a  broadside.  The  first 
discharge  of  this  little  vessel  tappears  to  have  been  well  directed,  but 
her  metal  was  altogether  too  light  to  contend  with  an  enemy  like  the 
one  she  had  assailed.  In  a  few  minutes  she  was  compelled  to  haul 
aboard  her  tacks,  to  get  from  under  the  guns  of  her  antagonist,  hav- 
ing had  her  captain  severely  wounded,  her  master  killed,  and  a  good 
many  of  her  people  injured. 

The  Alfred  now  took  the  place  of  the  Cabot,ranginghandsomely 
alongside  of  the  enemy  and  delivering  her  fire.  Soon  after,  the 
Providence  got  under  the  stern  of  the  English  ship,  and  the  Andrea 
Doria  was  enabled  to  come  near  enough  to  do  some  service.  The 
Columbus  was  kept  at  a  distance  for  want  of  wind.  After  a  smart 
cannonade  of  near  an  hour,  the  block  and  wheel-rope  of  the  Alfred 
were  shot  away,  and  the  ship  broached  to  ;  by  which  accident  the 
enemy  was  enabled  to  rake  her  with  effect.  Being  satisfied,  how- 
ever, that  the  victory  was  impossible,  the  English  commander 
profited  by  this  accident,  to  put  his  helm  up,  and  brought  afl  the 
American  vessels  astern.  Sailing  better  than  any  of  the  squadron, 
most  of  which  were  deep,  as  well  as  dull,  in  consequence  of  the  can- 
non and  stores  they  had  taken  on  board,  the  enemy  slowly  but 
steadily  gained  on  his  pursuers,  though  a  warm  cannonade  was  kept 
up  by  both  parties  until  past  daylight.  By  six  o'clock  the  ships  had 
got  so  far  to  the  eastward,  that  Commodore  Hopkins  felt  apprehen- 
sive the  firing  would  bring  out  the  Newport  squadron,  and  seeing 
little  chance  of  overtaking  the  chase,  he  made  a  signal  for  his  ves- 
sels to  haul  by  the  wind.  Capturing  a  tender  that  was  in  company 
with  the  ship  that  had  escaped,  the  squadron  now  went  into  New 
London,  the  port  to  which  it  was  bound. 

The  vessel  that  engaged  the  American  ships,  on  this  occasion,  was 
the  Glasgow  20,  Captain  Tyringham  Howe,  with  a  crew  of  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  souls.  In  every  thing  but  the  number  of  her 
men  the  Glasgow  was  probably  superior  to  any  one  ship  in  the 
American  squadron,  but  her  close  encounter  with,  and  eventual  es- 
cape from  so  many  vessels,  reflected  great  credit  on  her  commander. 
Slie  was  a  good  deal  cut  up,  notwithstanding,  and  had  four  men 
killed  and  wounded.  On  the  other  hand,  both  the  Alfred  and  the 
Cabot  sufi'fTed  materially,  the  former  from  having  been  raked,  and 
the  latter  from  lying  alongside  a  vessel  so  much  her  superior  in  force. 


54 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


Tliv  Alfred  and  Cabot  had  twenty-three  men  killed  and  wounded, 
and  one  man  on  board  the  Columbus  lost  an  arm  Avhile  in  the  chase. 
The  result  of  this  first  essay  of  the  American  navy,  when  an- 
nounced, caused  much  exultation  in  the  country.     The  affair  was 
represented  as  a  sort  of  victory,  in  which  three  light  vessels  of  war 
had  been  taken,  and  one  of  force  compelled  to  run.     A  short  time, 
however,  served  to  correct  these  errors,  and  public  opinion  probably 
went  as  far  in  the  opposite  extreme,  where  it  would  setm  to  have 
been  permanently  fixed,  by  i  ^bsequent  historians.     The  great  error 
of  Commodore  Hopkins  was  in  suffering  so  small  a  vessel  as  the  Ca- 
bot to  run  close  alongside  of  a  ship  of  the  Glasgow's  force,  when  the 
first  attack  should  have  been  made  by  the  Alfred.     Had  the  Cabot 
delivered  two  or  three  as  effectual  broadsides  from  a  favourable  po- 
sition, as  the  first  she  fired,  while  the  Glasgow  was  occupied  by  a 
heavier  ship,  it  is  highly  probable  the  enemy  would  have  been  cap- 
tured.    Commodore  Hopkins  betrayed  no  want  of  spirit,  but  his 
crew  and  vessel  were  much  inferior  to  the  regularly  and  long  trained 
people  of  a  cruiser,  and  to  a  ship  properly  constructed  for  war.     The 
lightness  of  the  wind,  and  the  obscurity  of  a  night  action,  contributed 
to  the  disasters,  as,  in  such  circumstances,  wlien  the  ship  broaohed 
to,  it  required  time  to  get  her  again  under  tlie  command  of  her  helm. 
The  reason  for  not  continuing  the  chase  was  sufficient,  and  it  is 
now  known  that  the  English  squadron  did  come  out  of  Newport  as 
soon  as  the  Glasgow  appeared,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt  that 
Commodore  Hopkins  would  have  lost  all  his  dull  sailing  vessels, 
had  he  gone  much  farther  in  pursuit.     It  oujiht  tf>  be  added,that  the 
small-pox,  then  a  malady  of  fatal  effect,  had  oroken  out  in  the  ships 
while  they  were  at  New  Providence,  and  it  probably  had  an  influ- 
ence on  their  eflliciency.     The  Doria,  in  particular,  was  kuif  ,r.'»  to 
be  nearly  useless  from  the  number  of  cases  on  board. 

This  Avas  hardly  the  feeling  of  the  country,  notwithstanding,  for 
nations  are  seldom  Just  u'.ider  disgrace,  imaginary  or  real.  Commo- 
dore Hopkins  was  left  ii>  com  .nand  some  time  longer,  it  is  true,  and 
he  carried  tli*^  squadron  to  Bliode  Island,  a  few  weeks  after  his  arri- 
val, but  he  never  made  anodier  cruise  in  the  navy.  On  the  ICth  of 
October,  Congress  passed  a  vote  of  censure  on  him,  for  not  perform- 
ing the  duties  on  wliich  he  had  been  sont  to  the  southward,  and  on 
the  2d  of  Jariuary,  1777,  by  a  vote  of  that  body,  he  was  formally 
dismissed  from  the  service.  No  commander-in-chief  was  subse- 
quently a|)pointed,  though  sucli  a  measure  was  recommended  to  the 
national  legislature  by  a  coniinittee  of  its  own  body,  August  24th, 
1781. 

As  an  offset  to  the  escape  of  tin  llasgow,  the  Lexington,  Captain 
Barry,  whieh  had  sailed  from  the  Delaware  some  weeks  after  the 
squadron  got  to  sea,  fell  in  with  the  Edward,  an  armed  tender  of 
the  Liverpool,  on  tlie  17th  of  April,  off  the  Capes  of  Virginia,  and 
after  a  close  and  spirited  action  of  near  an  hour,  captured  her.  The 
Lexington  had  four  of  lirr  crew  killed  and  wounded,  while  tlie  Ed- 
ward was  nearly  cut  to  pieces,  and  met  with  a  very  heavy  compara- 
tive loss  in  men. 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


55 


It  may  better  connect  the  history  of  this  little  brig,  if  we  add  here, 
that^ho  went  to  the  West  Indies  the  following  October,  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Hallock,  and  on  her  return  was  captured  near 
the  spot  wlicro  she  had  taken  the  Liverpool's  tender,  ')y  the  Pearl 
frigate.     It  was  blowing  fresh  at  the  time,  and,  after  taki»tg  out  of 
his  pri/,0  a  f(>w  officers,  niid  putting  a  crew  on  board  of  her,  ihe  com- 
mander of  the  Pearl  ordered  her  crew  to  follow  his  own  ship.     That 
night  the  Americans  rose,  and  overpowering  the  prize  ere  y,  tliey 
carried  the  brig  into  Baltimore.     The  Lexington  was  immidiately 
recommissioned,  under  the   orders  of  Captain  Johnston,  and  in 
March  of  the  succeeding  year  she  sailed  for  Europe,  where  there 
will  soon  be  occasion  to  note  her  movements.     This  little  vessel 
mounted  16  4  lb  guns,  and,  under  Barry,  had  a  crew  of  70  souls, 
all  told. 


m'i 


CHAPTER  V. 

Paul  Jones — His  first  cruise  as  a  Commanrlcr — Additional  vessels  ordered  by  Congress 
— Law  regulating  the  rank  of"  officers — The  Andrea  Doria,  Capt.  Biddle,  takes  sov- 
eral  prizes — The  Defence,  Capl.  Harding,  after  a  sharp  action,  captures  two  English 
sclu'oners— Cruise  of  the  Providence  and  Alfred — Cruise  of  the  Reprisal  in  Europe — 
Of  the  Lexington  do. — Cruises  of  Capt.  Wickes — Lexington  taKen — Lo.S3  of  tho 
Reprisal — Cruises  of  Capt.  Conyngham. 

When  the  American  squadron  had  got  into  Newport  it  became 
useless,  through  want  of  men.  Many  of  the  seamen  having  entered 
for  tho  cruise  only,  and  Congress  having  authorised  the  capture  of 
all  British  vessels  in  March,  so  many  persons  were  now  induced  to 
go  on  board  the  privateers,  that  crews  were  not  easily  obtained  for  the 
vessels  of  war.  It  is  a  singular  feature  of  the  times,  too,  that  the 
sudden  check  to  navigation,  and  the  delay  in  authorising  general 
captures,  had  driven  a  great  many  of  the  seamen  into  the  army.  It 
is  also  ca.sy  to  imagine  that  the  service  was  out  of  favour,  after  the 
affair  with  the  Glasgow,  for  by  events  as  trifling  as  this,  are  the 
opinions  of  ordinary  men  usually  influenced. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  vessels  were  carried  to  Providence,  Rhode 
Island,  and  soldiers  were  borrowed  from  the  army,  in  order  to  effect 
even  this.  At  Providence,  courts  martial,  the  usual  attendants  of 
military  misfortunes,  were  assembled  to  judge  the  delinquents.  Cap- 
tain Whipple,  of  the  Columbus,  was  tried  for  not  aiding  the  Alfred 
in  tho  action  with  the  Glasgow,  and  seems  to  have  been  acquitted. 
Capliun  Hazard  of  the  Providence,  was  cashiered,  though  it  does 
not  appear  on  what  charge. 

The  day  after  the  dismissal  of  her  former  commander,  or  May 
the  lOth,  1776,  Paul  Jones  was  directed  by  Commodore  Hopkins 
to  take  charge  of  the  Providence,  and  to  carry  the  borrowed  soldiers 
to  New  Tork,  there  to  enlist  a  regular  crew,  and  return  to  the  sla- 


66 


NAVAL  fJISrOKV 


[1776. 


,,1 


tlon.     This  duty  having  been  successfully  performed,  tlie  sloop  was 
hove  out,  cleaned,  refitted,  armed  and  manned  for  a  cruise.     On  the 
13th  of  June,  Captain  Jones  sailed  from  Newport  with  n  convoy 
loaded  with  military  stores,  which  ho  saw  into  Long  Island  Sound, 
a  service  attended  with  risk  on  account  of  the  numerous  cruisers  of 
the  enemy.     While  thus  employed.  Captain  Jones  covered  the  es- 
cape of  a  brig  from  St.  Domingo,  laden  also  with  military  stores, 
and  bound  to  New  York.     This  brig  was  soon  a(Ver  brought  into  the 
service,  and  became  the  Hamden,  14.     After  performing  this  duty, 
the  Providence  was  employed  in  cruising  between  IViston  and  the 
Delaware,  and  she  even  ran  as  far  south  as  Bermuda.     On  the  1st 
of  September,  while  on  the  latter  service,  this  little  sloop  made  five 
sail,  one  of  which  was  mistaken  for  a  large  merchantman.     On  get- 
ting near  the  latter  vessel,  she  proved  to  be  a  light  English  frigate, 
and  a  fast  sailer.     After  a  chase  of  four  hours  by  the  wind,  and  in 
a  cross  sea,  the  enemy  had  so  far  gained  on  the  Providence  as  to  be 
within  musket-shot,  on  her  lee-quartcr.     The  stranger  hud  early 
opened  with  his  chase  guns,  and  the  Providence  now  returned  th 
fire  with  her  light  four  pounders,  showing  her  colours.     Perceiving 
that  capture,  or  some  bold  expedient  must  soon  determine  his  fate, 
Captain  Jones  kept  edging  away,  until  he  had  got  rather  on  the  lee 
bow  of  the  enemy,  when  the  Providence  suddenly  wentolfdead  be- 
fore the  wind,  setting  every  thing  that  would  draw.     This  unexp(>cted 
manoeuvre  brought  the  two  vessels  within  pistol-shot,  hut  the  English 
ship  having  been  taken  completely  by  surprise,  before  she  could  get 
her  light  sails  set,  the  sloop  was  nearly  out  of  reach  of  grape.     Tlie 
Providence  sailed  the  best  before  the  wind,  and  in  less  than  nn  hour 
she  had  drawn  quite  beyond  the  reach  of  shot,  and  finally  escaped. 
This  affair  has  been  represented  as  an  engagement  of  several  hours 
with  the  Solebay,  28,  but,  as  has  been  said,  it  was  little  more  than  a 
clever  artifice,  in  which  Captain  Jones  discovered  much  steadiness 
and  address.     Not  a  shot  touched  the  Providence,  thougli  the  Sole- 
bay  fired  a  hundred. 

Captain  Jones  now  went  to  the  eastward,  where  he  made  several 
prizes.  Here  he  was  chased  by  the  Milford  32,  and  finding  he  could 
easily  outsail  her,  he  kept  just  out  of  gun-shot  for  several  hours,  the 
enemy,  who  measured  his  distance  badly,  firing  most  of  the  time. 
This  affair  has  also  been  exaggerated  into  a  running  fight. 

After  this  chase  the  Providence  went  upon  the  coast,  off  Canseau, 
and  did  much  damage  to  the  enemy's  fishermen,  taking  no  less  th.-^n 
twelve  sail.  Havitig  made  sixteen  prizes,  in  all,  some  of  wliich  were 
valuable,  Captain  Jones  returned  to  Newport. 

Ere  the  return  of  the  Providence,  independence  was  declared,  and 
Congress  had  set  about  a  more  regular  organisation  of  the  navy. 
October  the  3d,  it  ordered  another  frigate  and  two  cutters  to  he  built ; 
and  November  the  9th,  a  law  was  passed,  authorising  the  construc- 
tion of  three  seventy-fours,  five  more  frigates,  a  sloop  of  war  and  a 
packet.  In  January  of  the  succeeding  year,  another  frigate  and 
another  sloop  of  war,  were  commarided.  Eight  of  the  prizes  were 
also  directed  to  be  taken  into  the  service,  in  tlic  courses  of  the  vears 


1776.1 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


57 


1776  and  1777,  while,  na  the  war  proceeded,  divers  small  vessels 
were  directed  to  be  built,  or  purchased. 

But  the  most  important  s.tep  taken  by  Congress,  at  this  time,  was 
a  law  regulating  the  rank  of  the  different  officers,  which  had  hith- 
erto been  very  uncertain,  and  had  led  to  many  disputes.  By  a  reso- 
lution passed,  April  the  17th,  1776,  Congress  had  declared  that  rank 
should  not  be  regulated  by  the  dates  of  the  original  appointments, 
reserving  to  itself  the  power  to  say  who  should  command,  when  it 
had  ascertained  who  were  disposed  to  serve.  But  it  had  now  de- 
clared the  nation  independent  of  the  King  of  Great  Britain,  and 
there  was  a  long  and  bloody  war  in  perspective,  before  that  inde- 
pendence could  be  recognised.  It  was  time  to  reduce  the  confused 
elements  of  the  service  to  order,  and  to  quiet  the  disputes  and  claims 
of  individuals,  by  an  exercise  of  sovereign  power.  A  resolution  was 
B'  ^ordingly  passed  on  the  10th  of  October,  1776,  directing  that  the 
captains  in  the  navy  should  take  rank  in  the  following  order,  viz  : 


1.  James  Nicholson, 

2.  John  Manly, 

3.  Hector  McNiel, 

4.  Dudley  Saltonstall, 

5.  Nicholas  Biddle, 

6.  Thomas  Thompson, 

7.  John  Barry, 

8.  Thomas  Read, 

9.  Thomas  Grennall, 

10.  Charles  Alexander, 

11.  Lambert  Wickes, 

12.  Abraham  Whipple, 


13.  John  B.  Hopkins, 

14.  John  Hodge, 

15.  William  Hallock, 

16.  Hoysted  Hacker, 

17.  Isaiah  Robinson, 

18.  John  Paul  Jones,  . 

19.  James  Josiah, 

20.  Elisha  Hinman, 

21.  Joseph  Olney, 

22.  James  Robinson, 

23.  John  Young, 

24.  EUsha  Warner. 


The  Marine  Committee  was  empowered  to  arrange  the  rank  of  the 
inferior  officers.  At  this  time  Commodore  Hopkins  was  command- 
er-in-Chief, and  he  continued  to  serve  in  that  capacity  until  the  com- 
mencement of  the  following  January,  when  Captain  Nicholson  be- 
came the  senior  officer  of  the  navy,  with  the  rank  of  captain  only. 
When  the  law  rcfjulating  rank  was  passed,  the  vessels  of  the  navy, 
in  sei*vice,  or  in  the  course  of  construction,  were  as  follows ;  the 
word  building,  which  is  put  after  most  of  them,  referring  as  well  tw 
those  which  had  just  been  launched  as  to  those  that  were  still  on  the 
stocks  ;  a  few  of  the  former,  however,  were  ii-arly  ready  for  sea. 
List  of  vessels  in  the  United  States  Navy,  October,  1776. 


Hancock, 

32,  b 

iuildin£ 

r  at  Boston. 

Randolph, 
Rfileigh, 

32, 
32, 

do. 
do. 

Philadelphia. 
Portsmouth,  N.  H. 

Washington, 
Warren, 

32, 
32, 

do. 
do. 

Philadelphia. 
Rhode  Island. 

Trumbull, 

28, 

do. 

Connecticut. 

Effingham, 

Congress, 

Virginia, 

28, 
28, 
28, 

do. 
do. 
do. 

Philadelphia. 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 
Maryland. 

m^ 


f '■ 


58 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


I    ! 


U 


Providenco, 

Boston, 

Delaware, 

Montgomery, 

Alfred, 

Columbus, 

Reprisal, 

Cabot, 

Hamden 

Lexington, 

Andrea  Doria, 

Providence, 

Sachem, 

Independence, 

Wasp, 

Musquito, 

Fly, 


28,  building  at  Rhode  Island 


24, 
24, 
24, 
24, 
20, 
16. 
16, 
14, 
14, 
14, 
12, 
10, 
10, 

8, 
4, 


do. 
do. 
do. 
in  service, 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
do. 
,  do. 
do. 


Boston. 
Philadelphia. 
Poughkeepsic,  N.  Y. 


do. 

To  these  vessels,  many  of  which  never  got  to  sea,  mi'st  be  added 
several  small  cruisers,  that  were  employed  by  the  American  Com- 
missioners in  Europe  ;  the  histories  of  which  will  be  given  in  their 
proper  places  ;  and  the  vessel  that  parted  company  from  Commodore 
Hopkins'  squadron,  on  its  way  to  New  Providence.  This  vessel,  the 
Hornet,  suffered  much  before  she  got  in,  and  it  is  believed  she  was 
employed  very  little  aftervards. 

When  the  squadron,  und-^r  Commodore  Hopkins,  broke  up,  all 
the  ships  did  not  remain  idle,  but  the  Columbus  20,  made  a  cruise, 
under  Captain  Whipple,  to  thi  eastward,  and  took  a  few  prizes. 
The  Andrea  Doria  14,  Captain  i^iddle,  went  in  the  same  direction, 
also,  and  was  even  more. successful  than  the  Providence  in  annoying 
the  enemy.  This  vessel,  a  little  briTr,  carrying  14  fours,  actually 
took  two  armed  transports  fdled  with  soldiers,  and  made  prizes  of  so 
many  merchantmen,  that,  it  is  affirmed  on  plausible  authority,  when 
she  got  back  into  the  Delaware,  but  five  of  the  common  men  who 
composed  her  original  crew  were  in  her  ;  ti.'e  rest  having  been  put  in 
the  prizes,  and  their  places  supplied  by  volunteers  from  among  the 
prisoners.  Captain  Biddle  gained  much  credit  for  this  cruise,  and 
on  his  return,  he  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Randolph 
32,  then  recently  launclied.  One  of  the  transports,  howev<-r,  was 
retaken  by  the  Cerberus  frigate,  and  the  other  by  her  own  people, 
but  was  again  C'lptured,  and  brought  in. 

While  the  United  States'  cruisers  were  thus  active  in  int«M'cepting 
the  British  transports  on  the  high  seas,  the  colony  cruisers  and  priva- 
teers were  busy  in  the  same  way  in-shore.  Boston  had  b<;en  evacu- 
ated by  the  enemy  on  the  17th  of  March,  of  this  year,  bat  v<'ssels 
continued  to  arrive  from  England  until  midsummer;  the  faci'  not  be- 
ing known  in  time  to  prevent  their  steering  towards  the  wrong  port. 
No  less  that  thirty  sail  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans,  in  tonse- 
quence  of  these  mistakes.  As  one  of  the  occurrences  of  this  nuture 
was,  in  a  measure,  connected  with  a  circumstance  just  related  in  the 
cruise  of  tlie  Doria,  it  may  be  properly  given  here. 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


59 


The  Connecticut  colony  brig  Defence  1 4,  Cnptnin  Hardintr,  leJ* 
Plymouth,  Massachusetts,  early  oiithe  morning  of  the  17th  of  Juntj, 
and,  on  working  out  into  the  bay,  a  desultory  firing  was  heard  to  the 
northward.  The  Defence  crowded  sail  in  the  direction  of  the  can- 
nonading, and  about  dusk  she  fell  in  with  four  light  American 
schooners,  which  had  been  in  a  running  fight  with  two  British  trans- 
ports, that  had  proved  too  heavy  for  thcLi.  The  transports,  after 
beating  ofif  the  schooners,  had  gone  into  Nantasket  Roads  and 
anchored.  One  of  the  schooners  was  the  Lee  8,  Captain  Waters,  in 
the  service  of  Massachusetts,  the  little  cruiser  that  had  so  successfully 
begun  the  maritime  warfare  under  Captair  Manly.  The  three  others 
were  privateers. 

After  laying  his  plans  with  the  commanders  of  the  schooners, 
Captain  Harding  stood  into  the  roads,  and  about  eleven  o'clock,  at 
night,  he  anchored  between  the  transports,  within  pistol-shot.  The 
schooners  fcllowed,  but  «Jid  aot  approach  near  enough  to  be  of  much 
service.  Some  hailing  now  passed,  and  Captain  Harding  ordered 
the  enemy  to  strike.  A  voice  from  the  largest  English  vessel  an- 
swered, "  Ay,  ay — I'll  strike,"  and  a  broadside  was  immediately 
poured  into  the  Defence.  A  sharj)  action,  that  lasted  more  than  an 
hour,  followed,  when  both  the  English  vessels  struck.  These  trans- 
ports contained  near  two  hundred  soldiers  of  the  same  corps  as  those 
shortly  after  taken  by  the  Doria,  and  on  board  the  largest  of  them 
was  Lieutenant  Colonel  Campbell,  who  commanded  the  regiment. 

In  this  close  and  sharp  conflict,  the  Defence  was  a  good  deal  cut 
up  aloft,  and  she  had  nine  men  wounded.  The  transports  lost 
eighteen  killed,  and  a  large  number  wounded.  Among  the  slain  was 
Major  Menzies,  the  officer  who  had  answered  the  hail  in  the  manner 
stated. 

The  next  morning  the  Defence,  with  the  schooners  in  company, 
saw  a  sail  in  the  bay,  and  gave  chase.  The  stranger  proved  to  be 
another  transport,  with  more  than  a  hundred  men  of  the  same  regi- 
ment on  board.  Thus  did  about  five  hundred  men,  of  one  of  the  best 
corps  in  the  British  army,  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Ame;':cans,  by 
means  of  these  light  cruisers.  It  should  be  remembered  that,  in  this 
stage  of  the  war,  every  capture  of  this  nature  was  of  double  impor- 
tance to  the  cause,  as  it  not  only  weakened  the  enemy,  but  checked 
his  intention  of  treating  the  American  prisoners  as  rebels,  by  giving 
the  colonists  the  means  of  retaliation,  as  well  as  of  exchange  Colo- 
nel Campbell  was  subsequently  imprisoned  by  Washington,  to  compel 
the  English  to  extend  better  treatment  to  the  Americans  who  had 
fallen  into  their  hands. 

To  return  to  the  vessels  left  at  Rhode  Island.  When  Captain 
Jones  came  in  from  his  last  cruise  in  the  Providence,  a  project  was 
formed  to  send  a  small  squadron  under  his  orders  to  the  coast  of  Nova 
Scotia,  with  the  double  view  of  distressing  the  British  trade,  and  of 
liberating  about  a  hundred  Americans  who  were  said  to  be  confined 
in  the  coal  pits  of  that  region.  For  this  purpose  the  Alfred  24, 
Hamden  14,  and  Providence  12,  were  put  under  the  oi-ders  of  Cap- 
tain Jones ;  but  not  having  men  enough  for  all  three,  that  officer 


m 


,'■4:1, 


00 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


1 1 


seh'cted  the  two  first  for  liis  purpose.  While  chinriiig  the  port,  tho 
llaindeii  got  on  u  ledjre  of  rocks,  and  sustained  nuUerial  danni^re. 
The  crew  of  the  Ilaniden  were  now  transferred  to  the  Provid«iico, 
and  in  the  month  of  Novend)er  (^aptain  Jones  {jot  to  sea,  with  both 
vessels  rather  short  manned.  A  few  days  out,  the  Alfred  nnule  one 
or  two  snuill  captures,  and  soon  after  she  fell  in  with,  ami,  Hft<;r  u 
short  combat,  took  the  armed  ship  Mellish,  loaded  with  .supplies  for 
the  army  tliat  was  then  assendding  in  Caiuida,  to  compose  the  expe- 
dition under  General  Burgoyne.  Onboard  this  vessel,  in  a<ldition 
to  many  other  articles  of  the  last  importanc<',  were  ten  thousand  suits 
of  uniform,  in  charge  of  a  company  of  soldiers.  It  was  said  at  the 
time,  that  the  Mellish  was  the  most  valuable  English  shi|)  that  had 
then  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  Of  so  much  importance 
did  Captain  .Tones  consider  this  vessel,  that  he  announced  iiis  inten- 
tion to  keep  his  prize  in  sight,  and  to  siidi  her  in  preference  to  letting 
her  fall  into  the  enemy's  hands  again.  This  resolution,  however, 
was  changed  by  circumstances. 

The  Providence  had  ])arted  company  in  the  night,  and  having 
taken  a  letter  of  marque,  from  Liverpool,  the  Alfred  was  making  the 
best  of  her  way  to  Boston,  with  a  view  to  get  the  Mellish  in,  when 
on  the  edge  of  George's  Banks,  she  made  the  Milford  3'i,  the  frigate 
that  had  chased  Captain  Jones  the  previous  cruise,  while  in  coxn- 
mand  of  the  Providence.  The  enemy  was  to  windward,  but  there 
was  not  time  for  him  to  close  before  dark.  The  Alfred  and  the  letter 
of  marque  hauled  up  between  the  frigate  and  the  other  pri/x's,  in 
order  to  cover  them,  and  directions  were  given  to  the  latter  to  stand 
on  the  same  tack  all  night,  regardless  of  signals.  At  midnight  the 
Alfred  and  letter  of  marque  tacked,  and  t!ie  latter  showed  a  top-light 
until  morning.  This  artifice  succeeded,  the  Milford  appearing  in 
chase  of  the  Alfred  when  the  day  dawned,  while  the  Mellish  and  her 
consorts  had  all  disappeared  in  the  southern  board. 

The  Milford  had  run  to  leeward  in  the  course  of  the  night,  and 
was  now  on  the  Alfred's  lee  quarter.  Some  manoeuvring  took  place 
to  ascertain  the  stranger's  force,  for  it  was  not  then  known  that  the 
ship  in  sight  was  actually  a  frigate.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  the 
Alfred  was  compelled  to  carry  sail  hard,  but  she  escaped,  though  the 
letter  of  marque  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands.  After  eluding  her 
enemy,  and  covering  all  her  prizes,  the  one  just  mentioned  excepted, 
the  Alfred  went  into  Boston,  where  she  found  the  rest  of  the  vesselsj 
aiul  where  she  landed  her  prisoners.  Another  officer  took  charge 
of  tho  ship,  and  Captain  Jones,  who  had  been  flattered  with  the  hope 
of  having  a  still  larger  force  put  under  his  orders,  was  placed  so  low 
on  the  list  by  the  new  regulation  of  navy  rank,  as  to  be  obliged  to 
look  round  for  a  single  ship,  and  that,  too,  of  a  force  inferior  to  the 
one  he  had  just  commanded. 

While  this  service  was  in  the  course  of  execution  at  the  north, 
several  small  cruisers  had  been  sent  into  the  West  Indies,  to  convoy, 
in  quest  of  arms,  or  to  communicate  with  the  different  public  agents 
in  that  quarter  We  have  seen  the  manner  in  which  the  Lexiiiirton 
had   been  captinvd  and  retaken  on  her  return  passage  from   this 


177C.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


61 


station,  and  wc  have  now  to  nllude  to  u  short  cruiHc;  of  the  Reprisal, 
Captain  Wickca,  in  the  Hame  quarter.     Thiu  8hip  sailed  early  in  the 
summer,   for  Martinique,   capturing   several   prizes   by  the   way. 
When  near  her  port,  the  English  sloop  of  war  Shark  10,  Captain 
Chapman,  laid  her  close  alongside,  and  commenced  a  hri.sk  attack, 
the   Reprisal  being  both  lighter  than  the  enemy,  and  short-handed. 
Captain  Wickes  made  so  gallant  a  defence,  however,  that  the  Shark 
was  repulsed  with  loss,  and  he  got  into  the  island  with  credit,  hun- 
dreds having  witnessed  thoaflfuir  from  the  shore.     As  this  occurred 
early  in  the  season,  and  before  the  declaration  of  independence,  the 
Shark  followed  the  Reprisal  in,  and  her  captain  demanded  that  the 
governor  should  dehver  up  the  American  ship  as  a  pirate.     This  de- 
mand was  refused   of  course,  and  shortly  after  Captain  Wickes 
returned  home.     With  a  view  to  connect  the  train  of  events,  we  will 
now  follow  this  excellent  officer  to  the  European  seas. 

The  Reprisal  was  the  first  Americon  mun  of  war  that  ever  showed 
herself  in  the   other  hemisphere.     She  sailed  from  home  not  long 
after  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  appeared  in  France  in 
the  autumn  of  1776,  bringing  in  with  her  several  prizes,  and  having 
Dr.  Franklin  on  board  as  a  passenger.     A  few  privateers  had  pre- 
ceded her,  and  slight  difriculties  had  occurred  in  relation  to  some  of 
their  prizes  that  had  gone  into  Spain,  but  it  is  believed  these  were 
the  l^rst  English  captured  ships  that  had  entered  France  since  the 
commencenicntof  the  American  Revolution.     The  English  ambas- 
sador complained  of  lliis  infraction  of  the  treaty  between  the  two 
countries,  but  means  were  found  to  dispose  of  the  prizes  without  de- 
tection.    The  Reprisal  having  refitted,  soon  sailed  towards  the  Bay 
of  Biscay,  on  another  cruise.     Here  she  captured  several  more  ves- 
sels, and  among  the  rest  a  king's  packet  that  plied  between  Falmouth 
and  Lisbon.    When  the  cruise  was  up,  Captain  Wickes  went  into 
Nantes,  taking  his  prize  with  him.     The  complaints  of  the  English 
now  became  louder,  and  the  American  commissioners  were  secretly 
admonished  of  the  necessity  of  using  greater  res<>rve.     The  prizes 
were  directed  to  quit  France,  though  the  Reprisal,  being  leaky,  wna 
suffered  to  remain  in  port,  in  order  to  refit.     The  former  were  taken 
into  the  offing,  and  sold ;  the  state  of  the  times  rendering  these  in- 
formal proceedings  necessary.     Enormous  losses  to  the  captors  were 
the  consequences,  while  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  gains  of  the 
purchasers  had  their  influence  in  blinding  the  local  authorities  to  the 
character  of  the  transaction.     The  business  appears  to  have  been 
managed  with  dexterity,  and  the  proceeds  of  the  sales,  such  as  they 
were,  proved  of  great  service  to  the  agents  of  government,  by  enabling 
them  to  purchase  other  vessels. 

lu  April,  the  Lexington  14,  Captain  Johnston,  arrived  in  France, 
and  the  old  difficulties  were  renewed.  But  the  commissioners  at 
Paris,  who  had  been  authorised  to  equip  vessels,  appoint  officers,  and 
do  other  matters  to  annoy  the  enemy,  now  planned  a  cruise  that 
surpassed  any  thing  of  the  sort  that  had  yet  been  attemiited  in  Eu- 
rope under  the  American  flag.  Captain  Wickes  was  directed  to 
proceed  to  sea,  with  his  own  vessel  and  the  Lexington,  and  to  go 


62 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


directly  oflTIrcIunil,  in  order  to  intercept  a  convoy  of  iinon  HliipH  tlint 
was  expected  to  Hail  about  that  time.  A  cutter  of  t«!n  j^umh,  called 
the  Dolphin,  that  had  been  detained  by  the  comniissionerH  to  carry 
despatches  to  America,  was  diverted  from  her  orij^nnal  dentination 
und  placed  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Wickes.  The  Dolphin  was 
commanded  by  Lieutciuuit  S.  Nicholson,  a  brother  of  the  senior 
captain,  and  a  gentleman  who  subsequently  died  himself  at  the  head 
of  the  service. 

Captain  Wickcs,  in  command  of  this  light  8(|uadron,  sailed  from 
Nantes  about  the  commencement  of  Junr',  going  first  into  the  Bay 
of  Biscay,  and  afterwards  entirely  around  Ireland,  sweeping  the  seo 
before  him  of  every  thing  that  was  not  of  a  force  to  render  an  attack 
hopeless.  The  linen  ships  were  missed,  but  many  vessels  wjto 
taken  or  destroyed.  As  the  American  cruisers  approached  the 
French  const,  on  their  return,  a  line  of  battle  ship  gave  chase,  and 
followed  them  nearly  into  port.  The  T^exington  and  Dolphin  appear 
to  have  escaped  without  much  diflTiculty,  by  separating,  but  the  Re- 
prisal Avas  so  hard  pressed,  as  to  be  obliged  to  saw  her  bulwarks, 
and  even  to  cut  away  some  of  her  timbers;  expedients  that  were 
then  much  in  favour  among  the  scuuicn  of  the  day,  though  of  ques- 
tionable utility. 

This  was  the  first  exploit  of  the  kind  in  the  war,  and  its  boldness 
and  success  seem  to  have  produced  so  much  sensation  in  England, 
that  the  French  government  was  driven  to  the  necessity  of  entirely 
throwing  aside  the  mask,  or  of  taking  some  more  decided  step  in 
relation  to  these  cruisers.  Not  being  yet  prepared  for  war,  it  resorted 
to  the  latter  expedient.  The  Repri.»ul  and  Lexington  were  ordered 
to  be  seized  and  held,  until  security  was  given  that  they  would  quit 
the  European  seas,  while  the  prizes  were  commanded  to  leave  France 
without  delay.  The  latter  were  accordingly  taken  outside  the  port, 
and  disposed  of  to  French  merchants,  in  the  same  informal  manner, 
and  with  the  same  loss,  as  in  the  previous  cases,  while  the  vessels  of 
war  prepared  to  return  home. 

In  September,  the  Lexington  sailed  from  Morlaix,  in  which  port 
she  had  taken  refuge  in  the  chase,  and  next  day  she  fell  in  with  the 
British  man-of-war-cutter  Alert,  Lieutenant  Bazely,  a  vessel  of  a 
force  a  trifle  less  than  her  own,  when  an  engagement  took  place. 
The  lightness  of  the  vessels,  and  the  roughness  of  the  weather,  ren- 
dered the  fire  on  both  sides,  very  ineffective,  and  after  an  action  of 
two  hours  and  a  half,  the  Lexington  had  expended  nearly  all  of  her 
powder,  without  subduing  her  gallant  opponent.  The  Alert,  how- 
ever, had  suflfered  so  much  aloft,  as  to  enable  the  brig  to  leave  her. 
Notwithstanding  this  advantage,  so  much  activity  was  shown  on 
board  the  English  vessel,  that,  after  a  chase  of  four  hours,  she  was 
enabled  to  get  alongside  of  the  Lexington  again,  while  the  latter  was 
herself  repairing  damages.  A  one-sided  battle  now  occurred,  the 
Lexington  not  having  it  in  her  power  to  keep  up  a  fire  of  any  moment, 
and  after  receiving  that  of  his  persevering  antagonist  for  another  hour, 
Captain  Johnston  was  compelled  to  strike,  to  save  the  lives  of  his 
crew.     Thus  closed  the  brief  history  of  the  gallant  little  cruiser  that 


1777.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


63 


is  ktiown  to  have  first  borne  the  r(•^ulllr  Atiu'ricaii  iln^i  in  ii  victory 
upon  till!  ocean.  Her  career  >vns  Hliort,  l)iit  it  \vu!>  not  witliout  credit 
and  usct'dlneHH.  When  taken,  hIk;  Iuu*  been  in  Hervicc  about  one  year 
und  ei'jrbt  inontbH,  in  which  time  she  iiad  been  under  three  coiniiiand- 
era,  Ciqitainn  Harry,  llalluck,  and  Johnston;  had  fought  two  severe 
battles  with  vessels  of  war  ;  was  twice  taken,  and  once  recaptured, 
besides  having  several  times  engaged  armed  ships,  and  made  many 
prixes.  The  English  commander  received  a  good  deal  of  credit  for 
the  persevering  gallantry  with  which  he  lay  by,  and  captured  his  • 
opponent. 

The  fate  of  the  Reprisal,  a  vessel  that  had  even  been  more  sue- 
ccRsfiil  than  her  consort,  was  still  harder.  This  ship  also  sailed  for 
Ameriri,  agreeably  to  the  conditioMs  made  with  the  French  govcrn» 
mcnt,  and  foundered  on  the  banks  of  Newfoundland,  all  on  board 
perishing  with  the  exception  of  the  cook.  In  Captain  Wickes  the 
country  lost  a  gallant,  prudent,  and  efficient  officer,  and  one  who 
promised  to  have  risen  high  in  his  profession  had  I; is  life  been  siiarcd. 

To  the  untimely  loss  of  the  Ue|)risal,  and  the  unfortunate  capture 
of  the  Lexington,  must  be  attribi  ltd  the  little  eclat  that  attended  the 
services  of  these  two  vessels  in  Europe.  They  not  only  preceded  all 
the  other  national  cruisers  in  the  European  ;eas,  but  they  did  great 
positive  injury  to  the  commerce  of  Uie  enemy,  besides  excJnng  i-uch 
a  feeling  of  insecurity  in  the  Englisii  merchants,  as  i>  derange  their 
plans,  and  to  produce  other  revolutions  in  the  com  n  of  trade,  that 
will  be  adverted  to  in  the  ch)se  of  the  chapter. 

In  order  to  complete  the  account  of  the  ("oceedings  of  tl;  Amer- 
ican commissioners  at  Paris,  so  farns  tlu  v  w<  re  connected  with  na- 
val movements,  during  the  years  1776  and  1777,  it  is  necessary  to 
come  next  to  the  affair  of  Captain  Conyngham,  which,  owing  to 
some  marked  circumstances,  made  more  noise  than  the  cruises  of 
the  Reprisal  and  Lexington,  though  the  first  exploitsofthe  latter  were 
anterior  as  to  time,  and  of  not  less  consequence  in  their  effects. 

While  the  commissioners*  were  directing  the  movements  of  Cap- 
tain Wickes,  in  the  manner  that  has  been  mentioned,  they  were  not 
idle  in  other  quarters.  A  small  frigate  was  building  at  Nantes,  on 
their  account,  and  there  will  be  occasion  hereafter  to  speak  of  her 
services  and  loss,  under  the  name  of  the  Queen  of  France.  Some 
time  in  the  spring  of  1777,  an  agent  was  sent  to  Dover  by  the  Amer- 
ican commissioners  where  hi,  ^.vrchased  a  fine  fast-sailing  English- 
built  cutter,  and  had  her  can  a'.mT  across  to  Dunkirk.  Here  she  was 
privately  equipped  as  a  cruiser,  and  named  the  Surprise.  To  the 
command  of  this  vessel,  Captain  Gustavus  Conyngham  was  ap- 
pointed, by  filling  up  a  blank  commission  from  John  Hancock,  the 
President  of  Congress.  This  commission  bore  date  March  1st, 
1777,  and  it  would  seem,  as  fully  entitled  Mr.  Conyngham  to  the  rank 
of  a  captain  in  the  navy,  as  any  other  that  was  ever  issued  by  the 
same  authority.  Having  obtained  his  officers  and  crew  in  Dunkirk, 
Captain  Conyngham  sailed  on  a  cruise,  about  the  1st  of  May,  and  on 
the  4th,  he  took  a  brig  called  the  Joseph.     On  the  7th,  when  within 

*  Dr.  Franklin  and  Silas  Deane. 


ll: 


64 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1777. 


I 
I 


U'i 


a  few  leagues  of  the  coast  of  Holland,  the  Surprise  ran  along  side  of 
the  Harwich  packet  the  Prince  of  Orange,  which  she  boarded  and 
took  with  so  little  previous  alarm,  that  Captain  Conyngham  on  step- 
ing  upon  tlie  deck  of  the  prize,  Avalked  cooly  down  into  her  cabin, 
where  he  found  her  master  and  his  passengers  at  breakfast.  The 
mail  for  the  north  of  Europe  being  on  board  the  Prince  of  Orange, 
Captain  CcfJiyngham  believed  his  acquisition  to  be  of  sufficient  im- 
portance to  return  to  port,  and  accordingly  he  reappeared  at  Dun- 
kirk in  a  day  or  two. 

By  referring  to  the  dates,  it  will  be  seen,  though  both  the  Reprisal 
and  the  Lexington,  especially  the  first,  had  cruised  in  the  European 
seas  prior  to  the  sailing  of  the  Surprise,  that  the  latter  vessel  per- 
formed the  exploit  just  mentioned,  shortly  before  Captain  Wickes 
sailed  on  his  cruise  in  the  Irish  and  English  Channels.  Coming  as 
it  did  so  soon  after  the  capture  of  the  Lisbon  packet,  and  occurring 
on  one  of  the  great  thoroughfares  between  England  and  the  conti- 
nent, coupled  with  the  fact  that  the  cutter  had  been  altogether 
equipped  in  a  French  port,  the  loss  of  the  Prince  of  Orange  appears 
to  have  attracted  more  attention  than  the  transactions  before  des- 
cribed. The  remonstrances  of  the  English  ambassador  were  so  earn- 
est, that  Captain  Conyngham  .^nd  his  crew  were  imprisoned,  the  cut- 
ter was  seized,  and  the  prizes  were  liberated.  On  this  occasion  the 
commission  of  Captain  Conyngham  was  taken  from  him,  and  sent 
to  Versailles,  and  it  seems  never  to  have  been  returned. 

So  completely  was  the  English  government  deceived  by  this  de- 
monstration of  an  intention  on  the  part  of  the  French  ministry  to 
cause  the  treaty  to  be  respected,  that  two  sloops  of  war  were  actually 
sent  to  Dunkirk  to  carry  Captain  Conyngham  and  his  people  to 
England,  that  they  might  be  tried  as  pirates.  When  the  ships 
reached  Dunkirk,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  succeeding  events,  the  birds 
had  flown. 

The  commissioners  had  the  capture  of  some  of  the  transports 
with  Hessian  troops  on  board  in  view,  and  they  were  no  sooner  no- 
tified of  the  seizure  of  the  Surprise,  than  Mr.  Hodge,  an  agent  who 
was  of  great  service  to  the  cause,  was  directed  to  procure  another 
cutter.  One  was  accordingly  purchased  at  Dunkirk,  and  was  fitted, 
with  all  despatch,  for  a  cruiser.  Means  were  found  to  liberate  Cap- 
tain Conyngljam  and  his  people,  and  tills  second  vessel,  which  was 
called  the  Revenge,  sailed  from  Dunkirk  on  the  IStii  of  July,  or 
about  the  time  that  Captain  Wickes  return«^d  from  his  cruise  with 
the  three  other  vessels.  A  new  commission  had  been  obtained  for 
Captain  Conyngham,  previously  to  putting  to  sea,  which  bore  date 
Muy  2d,  1777.  As  this  second  commission  was  dated  anterior  to 
the  seizure  of  the  old  one,  there  is  no  question  that  it  was  also  one 
of  those  in  blank,  which  had  been  confided  to  the  commissioners  to 
fill  at  their  discretion. 

The  Revenge  proved  exceedingly  successful,  making  prizes  daily 
and  generally  destroying  them.  Some  of  the  most  valuable,  how- 
ever, were  otdered  into  Spain,  where  many  arrived  ;  their  avails 
proving  of  great  moment  to  the  agents  of  the  American  government 


1777.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY, 


65 


in  Europe.  It  is  even  affirmed  that  the  money  advanced  to  Mr.  Ad- 
ams for  travelUng  expenses,  when  he  landed  in  Spain  from  the 
French  frigate  La  Sensible,  a  year  or  two  later,  was  derived  from 
this  source. 

Having  suffered  from  a  gale.  Captain  Conyngham  disguised  the 
Revenge,  and  took  her  into  one  of  the  small  English  ports,  where 
he  actually  refitted  without  detection.  Shortly  after,  he  obtained 
supplies  in  Ireland,  paying  for  them  by  bills  on  his  agents  in  Spain. 
In  short,  after  a  cruise  of  almost  unprecedented  success,  so  far  as 
injury  to  the  English  merchants  was  concerned,  the  Revenge  went 
into  Ferrol,  refitted,  and  finally  sailed  for  the  American  seas,  where 
it  would  derange  the  order  of  events  to  follow  her  at  this  moment. 

The  characters  of  the  Surprise  and  Revenge  appear  never  to  have 
been  properly  understood.    In  all  the  accounts  of  liie  day,  and  in  near- 
ly, if  not  in  quite  all  the  subsequent  histories,  these  vessels  are  spoken 
of  as  privateers,  authorised  to  act  by  the  commissioners  at  Paris.    It  is 
not  clear  that  the  commissioners  sent  private  armed  vessels  to  sea  at 
all,  though  the  act  may  have  come  within  the  scope  of  their  powers. 
That  the  two  cutters  commanded  by  Captain  Conyngham  were  pub- 
lic vessels,  however,  is  proved  in  a  variety  of  ways.     Like  the  Dol- 
phin 10,  Lieutenant  Nicholson,  an  officer  who  may  be  said  to  have 
almost  passed  his  life  in  the  navy,  the  Surprise  and  Revenge  were 
bought  and  equipped  by  agents  of  the  diplomatic  commissioners  of 
the  United  States,  on  public  account,  and  the  commissions  granted 
to  Captain  Conyngham  were  gifts  of  personal  authority,  and  net 
powers  conceded  to  particular  vessels.     It  is  known  that  Dr.  Frank- 
lin, at  a  later  day,  and  with  an  especial  object  in  view,  granted  tem- 
porary commissions  in  the  navy,  but  there  is  no  evidence  that  either 
of  those  bestowed  on  Captain  Conyngham  possessed  even  this  con- 
ditional character.     The  Revenge  was  finally  given  up  to  the  Navy 
Board,  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  sold  on  public  account.     It  is  cer- 
tainly competent  for  a  government  to  consider  its  public  vessels  as  it 
may  see  fit,  or  to  put  them  in  the  several  classes  of  vessels  of  war, 
revenue  cruisers,  packets,  troop  ships,  transports,  or  any  thing  else, 
but  it  would,  at  least,  be  a  novelty  for  it  to  deem  any  of  its  own  active 
cruisers  privateers.     The  very  word  would  infer  a  contradiction  in 
terms.     Paul  Jones  speaks  of  his  desire  to  obtain  Captain  Conyng- 
ham as  a  member  of  a  court  martial,  as  late  as  1779,  and  in  a  re- 
monstrance against  the  treatment  shown  to  Captain  Conyngham, 
thon  a  prisoner  of  war,  made  by  Congress,  through  its  Secretary, 
CImrles  Thompson,  of  the  date  of  July  1779,  that  officer  is  termed, 
"  Giistavus  Conyngham,  a  citizen  of  America,^  late  commander  of  an 
armed  vessel  in  the  service  of  said  States,  and  taken  on  board  a  pri- 
vate armed  cutter,"  &c.  &.c.     Here  the  distinction  between  public 
and  private  armed  vessels  is  unequivocally  made,  and  the  fact  that 
Captain  Conyngham  had  served  in  both,  is  as  clearly  established ; 
it  being  ad»nittcd  that  he  was  acting  in  a  privjiteer  at  the  precise  mo- 
ment of  his  capture.     The  latter  circumstance,  in  no  degree  affected 
the  rank  of  Captain  Conyngham,  officers  of  the  navy  quite  fre- 
quently serving  in  private  armed  ships,  after  the  first  two  or  three 
VOL.  I.  5 


I-  fe 


f 


'  ll 


I 

■li' 


66 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1777. 


years  of  the  war,  in  consequence  of  there  not  having  been  public 
vessels  to  afford  them  employment.  That  there  was  sdme  irregu- 
larity in  giving  Captain  Conyngham  two  commissions  for  the  same 
rank,  and  bearing  different  dates,  is  true,  but  this  arose  from  neces- 
sity ;  and  want  of  regularity  and  system  was  a  fault  of  the  times, 
rather  than  of  those  who  conducted  the  affairs  of  the  American  ma- 
rine, during  the  Revolution.  There  can  be  no  reasonable  doubt 
that  both  the  Surprise  and  the  Revenge  were  public  vessels  of  war, 
and  that  Gustavus  Conyngham  was  a  captain  in  the  navy  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  in  virtue  of  two  commissions  granted  by 
a  competent  authority  ;  and  that,  too,  subsequently  to  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence,  or  after  the  country  claimed  all  the  political 
rights  of  sovereign  power. 

The  sensation  produced  among  the  British  merchants,  by  tl«;  dif- 
ferent cruises  in  the  European  seas,  that  have  been  recorded  in  this 
chapter,  is  stated  in  the  diplomatic  correspondence  of  the  day,  to 
have  been  greater  than  that  produced,  in  the  previous  war,  by  the 
squadron  of  the  celebrated  Thurot.  Insurance  rose  to  an  enormous 
height,  and,  in  speaking  of  the  cruise  of  Captain  Wickes  in  partic- 
ulai*,  Mr.  Deane  observes  in  one  of  his  letters  to  Robert  Morris,  that 
it  "  effectually  alarmed  England,  prevented  the  great  fair  at  Chester, 
occasioned  insurance  to  rise,  and  even  deterred  the  English  mer- 
chants from  shipping  goods  in  English  bottoms,  at  any  rate,  so  that 
in  n  few  weeks,  forti/  sail  of  French  ships  were  loading  in  the 
Thames  on  freight ;  an  instance  never  before  known."  In  the 
same  letter,  this  commissioner  adds, — "  In  a  word,  Cunningham 
(Conyngham)  by  his  first  and  second  bold  expeditions,  is  hecome  the 
terror  of  all  the  eastern  coast  of  England  and  Scotland,  and  is  more 
dreaded  than  Thurot  was,  in  the  late  war." 

Insurance,  in  some  instances,  rose  as  high  as  twenty-five  per 
cent.,  and  it  is  even  affirmed  that  there  was  a  short  period  when  ten 
per  cent,  was  asked  between  Dov  •  ;'nd  Calais,  a  distance  of  only 
seven  leagues. 

Having  now  related  the  principal  maritime  events  that  were  con- 
nected with  the  policy  and  measures  of  the  commissioners  in  France, 
during  the  years  1776  and  1777,  we  shall  return  to  the  American 
seas,  and  resume  the  thread  of  the  narrative,  where  it  has  been  in- 
terrupted, or  towards  the  middle  of  the  former  year.  We  shall 
shortly  have  occasion,  however,  to  revert  to  the  subject  that  we  are 
now  temporarily  quitting,  this  quarter  of  the  world  having  been  the 
theatre  of  still  more  interesting  incidents  connected  with  the  navy,  at 
a  later  day.  Before  returning  to  the  year  1776,  and  the  more  chro- 
nological order  of  events,  however,  one  fact  may  well  be  recorded 
here.  With  a  view  to  increase  the  naval  force  of  the  countrj',  the 
commissioners  had  caused  a  frigate  of  extraordinary  size,  and  of 
peculiar  armament  and  construction  for  that  period,  to  be  laid  down 
at  Amsterdam.  This  ship  had  the  keel  and  sides  of  a  two  decker, 
thouirh  frigate  built,  and  her  main  deck  armament  was  intended  to 
consi-^t  of  thirty-two  pounders.  Her  name  was  the  Indien.  But  in 
consequence  of  the  apprehensions  of  the  Dutch  government,  and  the 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


67 


jealousy  of  that  of  England,  Congress  was  induced,  about  this  time, 
to  make  an  offering  of  the  Indien  to  Louis  XVI.,  and  she  was  equip- 
ped and  got  ready  for  sea,  as  a  French  vessel  of  war.  In  the  end, 
the  manner  in  which  this  frigate  was  brought  into  the  service  of  one 
of  the  new  American  States,  and  her  fate,  will  be  shown. 


CHAPTER  VI. 


,< ' 


Commodore  Sir  Peter  Parker  attacks  Charleston — Is  repulsed  by  tlie  Americans — CapU 
Miigford  captures  the  Hope — The  Sachem,  Capt.  Ilobinson,  captures  an  English  let- 
ter of  marque — Capt.  R.  put  in  command  of  the  Doria—Caplures  the  Racehorse,  after 
a  sharp  contest — Conflict  of  American  galleys  with  the  enemy — Capt.  Hudson  of  the 
Ranger  captures  a  British  brig,  after  an  action  of  two  hours — Battle  on  Lake  Cham- 
plain — General  Arnold — American  privateers. 


It  is  now  necessary  to  revert  to  events  that  will  require  the  time 
to  be  carried  back  more  than  a  twelvemonth.  In  reviewing  this 
branch  of  the  subject,  it  may  be  well  to  take  a  brief  notice  of  the  state 
of  the  regular  marine  of  the  country,  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1776, 
or  soon  after  the  law  for  capturing  all  British  vessels  had  passed,  and 
at  a  moment  when  the  independence  of  the  country  was  seriously 
contemplated,  though  not  formally  declared. 

None  of  these  vessels  ordered  to  be  built,  by  the  laws  of  the  previ- 
ous year,  Avere  yet  launched,  and  every  public  cruiser  of  any  size 
that  was  actually  afloat  had  been  bought  into  the  service.  Of  these, 
the  largest  were  little  suited  to  war,  as  they  were  necessarily  selected 
from  among  the  merchant  vessels  of  the  country,  while  the  smal'er 
had  been  chosen  principally  from  among  the  privateers.  Copper, 
for  ships,  was  just  coming  into  use,  and  it  is  not  believed  that  a  single 
cruiser  of  the  United  States  possessed  the  great  advantage  of  having 
this  material  on  its  bottom  until  a  much  later  day. 

Philadelphia  being  the  seat  of  government,  the  largest  town  in 
the  country,  and  naturally  strong  in  its  defences,  more  than  usual 
attention  was  paid  to  the  means  of  preventing  the  enemy  from  getting 
possession  of  it  by  water.  Thirteen  galleys  had  been  provided  for 
this  puipose,  as  well  as  a  heavy  floating  battery,  an<l  several  fire 
rafts.  An  officer  of  the  name  of  Hazlewood  was  put  in  ct^mmand, 
with  the  title  of  commodore,  his  commission  having  been  issued  by 
the  Colony  of  Pennsylvania.  Similar  arrangements  were  made  in 
the  Chesapeake,  where  a  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Biirron,  the 
father  of  two  officers  who  have  subsequently  risen  to  high  rank  in 
the  service,  received  the  same  commission  from  the  Colony  of  Vir- 
ginia. James  Nicholson,  who  so  shortly  after  became  the  senior 
captain  of  the  navy,  filled  a  corresponding  station  in  the  Colony  of 
Maryland,  and  performed  SvOme  service  that  did  him  credit. 

Most  of  the  colonies  had  their  respective  cruisers  at  sea,  or  on 
their  own  coasts,  while  the  ocean  literally  began  to  swarm  with  pri 


60 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


''<;) 


'■^!:i 


vateers  from  all  parts  of  the  country  ;  though  New  England  took 
the  lead  in  this  species  of  warfare.  Robert  Morris,  in  one  of  his 
official  letters  of  a  date  later  than  this  precise  time,  remarks  that  the 
passion  for  privateering  was  so  strong  in  this  particular  part  of  the 
country,  that  even  agriculture  was  abandoned  in  order  to  pursue  it. 
The  English  evacuated  Boston  on  the  17th  of  March  of  this  year, 
retiring  to  Halifax  with  their  fleet  and  army.  From  this  place,  they 
directed  their  movements  for  a  short  period,  or  until  they  were  en- 
abled, by  the  arrival  of  powerful  reinforcements,  to  choose  the  points 
which  it  was  believed  would  be  the  most  advantageous  to  possess  for 
the  future  management  of  the  war.  Charleston,  South  Carolina, 
was  soon  selected  for  this  purpose,  and  preparations  for  a  descent 
on  that  coast  were  made  as  early  as  April,  or  immediately  after  the 
the  evacuation  of  Boston.  It  is  not  improbable  that  this  step  was 
held  in  view,  when  the  British  quitted  New  England,  as  the  occupa- 
tion of  that  town  would  enable  the  English  government  to  overrun  all 
the  southern  colonics.  Luckily,  some  despatches,  that  were  inter- 
cepted by  Commodore  Barron,  of  the  Virginia  service,  betrayed  this 
desig-n  to  the  people  of  Charleston,  who  were  not  slow  in  making 
their  preparations  to  meet  the  enemy. 

In  furtherance  of  this  plan,  which  is  even  said  to  have  emanated 
from  the  British  ministry  itself,  though  oome  ascribe  the  attack  that 
occurred  to  the  officers  immediately  in  command,  the  main  object 
being  a  secure  footing  in  the  southern  States  at  any  eligible  point 
that  might  offer,  a  squadron  consisting  of  several  sail,  under  the 
orders  of  Commodore  Sir  Peter  Parker,  arrived  on  the  coast  of 
North  Carolina  as  early  as  May.  If  ere  it  was  joined  by  a  fleet  of 
transports  from  Halifax,  having  on  board  nearly  three  thousand 
troops,  at  the  head  of  whom  was  Lieutenant  General,  afterwards  Sir 
Henry,  Clinton. 

On  the  4th  of  June  this  imposing  force  appeared  oft'  Charleston 
Bar,  and  made  immediate  preparations  for  a  descent  and  an  attack 
by  sea ;  buoying  out  the  channel  for  the  latter  purpose  without  delay. 
A  portion  of  the  troops  were  landed  on  Long  Island,  which  is  sepa- 
rated from  Sullivan's  Island  by  a  narrow  channel  that  is  fordable  in 
certain  states  of  the  tide,  with  a  view  to  pass  over  and  take  a  strong 
work,  made  of  palmetto  logs,  that  the  Americans  had  erected  for  the 
defence  of  their  harbour,  and  which  it  was  thought  might  easily  be 
reduced  from  the  rear.     Happily  for  the  Americans,  a  long  continu- 
ance of  easterly  winds  drove  the  water  up  into  the  passage  between 
the  two  islands,  converting  the  channel  into  a  ditch,  that  effectually 
prevented  the  forces  of  General  Clinton  from  crossing.     On  the  7th, 
the  frigates  passed  the  bar;  and  on  the  10th,  a  fifty  gun  ship  suc- 
ceeded with  great  difficulty,  in  accomplishing  the  same  objecr.     The 
delay  occasioned  by  the  want  of  water,  and  the  indecision  of  the  Eng- 
lish general,  who  acted  with  less  vigour  than  his  associate  in  com- 
mand, was  eagerly  improved  by  the  Americans,  and  a  considerable 
force  collected  in  and  about  the  town,  though  the  fort  on  Sullivan's 
Island,  which  was  hubsequently  named  aft»;r  its  gallant  commander. 
Colonel  Moultrie,  did  not  admit  of  much  enlargement  or  additional 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


69 


fortifying.  This  work  contained  twenty-six  guns,  twenty-six  and 
eighteen  pounders,  and  it  was  garrisoned  by  about  four  hundred 
irmn,  of  Avhom  more  than  three  hunJred  were  regulars.  Other 
troops  were  at  hand  to  watch  the  party  on  Long  Island,  and  to  resist 
any  attempt  to  land.  Major  General  Lee,  of  the  United  States'  ser- 
vice commanded  in  chief,  on  the  side  of  the  Americans.  Suitable 
preparations  were  made  to  save  the  garrison,  in  the  event  of  a  de- 
scent, though  it  appears  to  have  been  the  opinion  of  Colonel  Moul- 
trie, that  he  could  have  maintained  the  island  even  had  the  enemy 
crossed  and  landed. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  Sir  Peter  Parker,  being  joined  by  another 
fifty,  and  having  completed  his  preparations,  moved  his  ships  to  their 
respective  stations,  in  order  to  commence  the  attack.  Between  ten 
and  eleven  in  the  forenoon,  the  Thunder  began  to  throw  shells  at  the 
fort,  to  cover  the  approach  of  the  other  vessels,  though  without  much 
effect.  The  shells  were  well  directed,  and  many  fell  in  the  centre 
of  the  fort ;  but  they  were  received  in  a  morass,  where  the  fuses  were 
extinguished.  But  few  exploded.  The  Bristol  50,  Sir  Peter  Par- 
ker's own  ship,  the  Experiment  50,  which  had  joined  but  a  day  or 
two  before,  both  vessels  of  two  decks,  the  Active  28,  and  the  Solebay 
28,  anchored  in  front  of  the  fort,  with  springs  on  their  cables  ;  while 
the  Acteon  28,  Siren  28,  and  Sphinx  20,  endeavored  to  get  into 
positions  between  the  island  and  the  town,  with  a  view  to  enfilade 
the  works,  to  cut  off  the  communications  with  the  main  body  of  the 
American  forces,  and  to  intercept  a  retreat.  The  latter  vessels  got 
entangled  among  the  shoals,  and  all  three  took  the  ground.  In  the 
confusion,  the  Sphinx  and  Siren  ran  foul  of  each  other,  by  which  ac- 
cident the  former  lost  her  bowsprit  The  Acteon  stuck  so  fast,  that 
all  the  efforts  of  her  crew  to  get  her  afloat  proved  unavailing  ;  but 
the  other  two  succeeded  in  getting  off  in  a  few  hours.  In  conse- 
quence of  these  mistakes  and  accidents,  the  three  vessels  named 
were  of  little  or  no  use  to  the  British  during  the  engagement. 

Of  the  vessels  that  came  up  in  front,  the  xictive  28,  led.  As  she 
drew  near,  the  fort  fired  a  few  guns,  as  if  to  try  the  range  of  its  shot, 
but  the  battle  did  not  properly  begin  until  the  frigate  had  anchored 
and  delivered  her  broadside.  The  other  vessels  followed,  when  they 
all  commenced  as  severe  and  well  supported  a  fire,  as  was  probably 
ever  kept  up  for  so  long  a  period,  by  ships  of  their  force. 

The  cannonade  began  in  earnest  about  twelve  o'clock,  and  it  was 
maintained  throughout  a  long  suir"  er's  afternoon,  and,  with  short 
int<;rvals,. until  nine  o'clock  at  nigtit,  with  undaunted  resolution,  on 
both  sides.  The  fire  of  the  sliips  was  rapid  :  that  of  the  fort  delibe- 
rate, but  of  deadly  aim.  The  first,  owing  to  the  peculiar  nature  of 
the  wood  (►f  which  the  works  wore  composed,  did  but  little  injury, 
ffb'\\c  the  hca  y  shot  sent  from  the  fort,  passed  through  and  through 
the  sides  of  the  enemy's  si;  <).-.  Atone  period.  '  he  garrison  had 
nearly  expended  its  ammunition,  and  its  fire  c  t  jd  for  so  long  a 
time,  that  it  became  the  impression  of  the  enemy  iliat  it  had  cvaeu- 


^ 


70 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


I 


Vl  6 


t  •  W 

5     '1 
s 


i     f    I 


■I 


ted  the  works.*  A  fresh  supply  arrivinir,  however,  this  error  of  the 
English  was  soon  corrected,  the  fire  that  was  renewed  being,  if  pos- 
aible,  more  dt>tructive  than  that  which  had  preceded  the  pause.  In 
the  heat  of  tin;  engagement  the  springs  of  the  Bristol's  cable  were 
cut,  and  the  .'^liip  swung  round,  witli  her  stern  to  the  embrasures. 
That  deadly  deliberate  fire,  which  had  distinguished  the  garrison 
throucrhout  the  day,  now  told  with  awful  effect  on  this  devoted  vessel. 
In  this  scene  of  slaughter  and  destruction.  tJjo  o)<}  seaman  who 
commanded  (I'o  British  squadron,  displayed  the  hif,;h  re>»ohuion 
which,  durin^^  the  last  century,  has  distiii<»tii&l>!-.:l  so  niuny  other  of- 
ficers of  his  name  in  the  same  service.  At  t»PL  lime,  he  i-  rf.ud  to 
have  !<fi)od  almost  alone  on  the  quarter-deck  of  h>s  ship,  ul«v  t'iig^ 
but  delivering  Ms  orders  calmly  ant  with  liiscrcUon.  iiy  tiit  .^  (pli- 
cation of  a  nev,  spring,  the  vessel  was  exrricated  from  this  uwful 
position,  and  her  firing  was  n-newed. 

But  no  courage  or  pcrsi  \  t .  aiice  on  the  pait  of  the  assailants  could 
overcome  the  cool  resolution  of  thr?  garrison,  aud  when  ui;ht  &«  t  in, 
Sir  Peter  Parker  made  the  sii^ita)  tor  tbo  .ships  to  retin-.  Ail  the 
vessels  t  tlected  theiv  retreat  but  t^sc  iUteon,  wjjieh  shij)  reumined 
loo  firmiv"  grounded  to  be  moved.  I'roin  xh\s  fr.»p.'.  U*  (he  enemy 
withdrew  her  people  next  morning,  wheji  they  s"i  her  on  fire,  leaving 
tn'T  WJ*^!'  iter  gJi'iS  loaded  and  colours  flying.  She  was  immediately 
beatti*  .1  hv  the  Americans,  who  hauled  down  her  ensign,  fired  a  few 
shot  V  (he  retreating  ships,  and  left  her.  In  a  short  time  her  maga- 
ziiie  exploded. 

This  was  the  most  hotly  contested  engagement  of  the  kind  that 
ever  took  place  on  the  American  coast,  and  it  goes  fully  to  prove  the 
important  military  position,  that  ships  cannot  withstand  forts  when 
the  latter  are  properly  constructed,  armed,  and  garrisoned.  Gen- 
eral Moultrie,  in  his  Memoirs,  statt.s  that  he  commenced  the  battle 
with  only  twenty-eight  rounds  of  powder.  The  supplies  received 
during  the  fight  amounted  to  but  seven  hundred  pounds  in  gross, 
which,  for  gunii  of  so  heavy  caliber,  would  scarcely  nndie  a  total  of 
thirty -five  rounds.  lie  is  of  opinion  that  the  want  of  powder  alone 
prevented  tin;  Americans  from  destroying  the  men  of  war. 

On  this  occasion  the  Americans  had  only  thirty-six  killed  and 
wounded,  while  the  loss  of  the  British  was  about  two  hundred  men. 
The  two  fifty  gun  ships  suffered  most,  the  Bristol  having  the  com- 
modore himself,  Captain  Morris,  M'ho  died  of  his  injuries,  and  sixty- 
nine  men  wounded,  besides  forty  killed.  Among  tlte  former  was 
Lord  William  Campbell,  a  brother  of  the  Duke  of  Ari>yK',  who  had 

*  Some  carioiiM  errors  appoar  in  Sir  VnXer  Pa  rigor's  report  of  tliiH  nflair,  nri<iin;ront  of 
the  distance  at  wliicli  he  wan  placed,  and  the  Cf)nfnsion  ofahot  eontlict.  Auionirotlier 
thinsrs  he  says  that  lartre  yia.'iio.s  were  driven  out  of  the  fort  hy  the  lire  of  tlie  ships,  and 
that  the>y  were  replanrd  by  reinforcements  from  tlie  main  land.  H<'  also  savs  that  u 
man  wuf  haneed  on  a  tree,  in  the  rear  of  the  fort,  hv  .  party  tliat  was  ciitt'rinu'  it.  Noth- 
me  of  the  sort  occiHTcd.  Colonel  Jlonlirie  expliti'i^  i>i«'  itlairoflhe  man  in  the  tn-e,  hy 
Bayinc  that  a  shot  took  a  soldier'a  coal  am?  carrier'  •  i  'e  the  branches  of  a  tree,  v.li  ;  i> 
Jt  remaii:e  i  suspended  dnrinsr  the  rest  of  the  (hiy.  ■  ,  r  from  any  eor.l'iision  or  ilisorder 
haviniS?  existed  in  the  fort,  when  General  Lee  vis!,.'(  works,  linriu!.'  the  lu'ifiht  of  tho 

action,  I  nffi'.-ers  laid  asidex  their  jiipes  .■  '^•"'  >  reieivi;  him  with  proper  respe(;f. 
After  i'  .'air,  twelve  bundled  shot  ivere  ■.  •  i  in  niv.l  about  the  fort,  bcsidesmanv 
shell 


177G.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


71 


recently  hoea  Governor  of  South  Caroliiui,  in  which  province  he  Imd 
married,  and  who  had  taken  a  command  on  the  Bristol's  lower  }fun 
deck,  with  a  view  to  animate  her  men.  The  Experiment  suHVred  little 
less  than  the  Bristol,  several  of  her  ports  having  been  knocked  into 
one,  and  seventy-nine  of  her  ollicers  and  crew  were  killed  and 
wounded.  Among  the  latter  was  her  commander,  Ca|)tain  Scott. 
The  frij^ites,  attracting  less  of  the  attention  of  the  garrison  esca|)ed 
with  comparatively  little  loss.  A  short  time  after  this  signal  discom- 
fiture, the  British  temporarily  abandoned  their  design  on  Charleston, 
carrying  olf  the  troops,  which  had  been  perfectly  useless  during  the 
operations. 

Quitting  the  south  for  the  present,  we  will  now  return  to  the  north, 
to  mention  a  few  of  the  lighter  incidents  that  occurred  at  different 
points  on  the  coast.  Soon  after  the  British  left  Boston,  a  Captain 
Mugford  obtained  the  use  of  a  sniiill  armed  vessel  belonjrinji  to  oov- 
eminent,  called  the  Fraidilin,  and  getting  to  sea,  he  succeeded  in 
capturing  the  Hope,  a  ship  that  had  on  board  fifteen  hundred  barrels 
of  powder,  and  a  large  quantity  of  intrenching  tools,  gun  carriages, 
and  oihor  stores.  This  vessel  was  got  into  Boston,  in  sight  of  the 
British  srpiadron.  Attempting  another  cruise  immediately  after- 
wards, Captain  Mugford  lost  his  life  in  making  a  gallant  and  suc- 
cessful effoft  to  repel  some  of  the  enemy's  boats,  which  had  endeav- 
oured to  carry  the  Franklin  and  a  small  privateer  that  was  in  com- 
pany, by  boarding. 

On  the  6th  of  July,  or  two  days  after  the  Declaration  of  Inde- 
pendence, the  Sachem  10,  Captain  Robinson,  sailed  from  the 
Delaware  on  a  cruise.  The  Sachem  was  sloop  rigged,  and  one  of 
the  lightest  cruisers  in  the  service.  When  a  few  days  out  she  fell  in 
with  an  English  letter  of  marque,  a  Jamaica-man,  and  captured  her, 
after  a  sharp  contest.  Both  vessels  are  said  to  have  suffered  severely 
in  this  affair,  and  to  have  had  an  unusual  number  of  their  people 
killed  and  wounded.  Captain  Robinson  was  now  compelled  to 
return  to  refit,  and  arriving  at  Philadelphia  with  the  prize,  the  Marine 
Comniittoe  rewarded  him  for  hh  success  by  giving  him  the  command 
of  the  Andrea  Doria  14,  then  recently  returned  from  her  cruise  to  the 
eastward  under  Captain  Biddle,  which  officer  had  been  transferred 
to  the  Randolph  32. 

The  Doria  sailed  shortly  after  for  St.  Eustatia,  to  bring  home  some 
arms  ;  and  it  is  said  that  the  first  salute  ever  paid  to  the  American 
flag,  by  a  regular  government,  was  fired  in  return  for  the  salute  of 
the  Doria,  when  she  went  into  that  island.  For  this  indiscretion  the 
Dutch  governor  was  subsequently  displaced. 

On  hor  return  passage,  oflT  the  western  end  of  Porto  Rico,  the 
Doria  made  an  English  vessel  of  war,  bearing  down  upon  her  with 
a  disposition  to  engage.  On  ranging  up  abeam,  the  enemy  com- 
menced the  action  by  firing  a  broadside,  which  was  immediately 
returned  by  the  Doria.  A  very  sharp  contest  of  two  hours  followed, 
vv'icn  tlie  EnglisJjman  struck.  The  prize  proved  lo  be  the  Race- 
horse 1'-^,  L'ctitenant  Jones,  who  h.id  been  sent  by  iiis  admiral  to 
cruise  cvprbssly  for  his  captors.     Lieutenant  Jones  was  mortally 


fi 


72 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


I 


wounded,  and  a  very  large  proportion  of  the  Racehorse's  ofliccrs 
and  crew  were  either  killed  or  wounded.  The  Doria  lost  twelve 
men,  including  all  the  casualties.  Captain  Rohinson  and  his  prize 
got  safely  into  Philadelphia,  in  due  season.  The  Doria  never  went 
to  sea  again,  being  shortly  after  burned  by  the  Americans  to  i)revent 
her  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  British  fleet,  when  the  evacuation 
of  Fort  Mifflin  gave  the  enemy  the  command  of  the  Delaware. 

The  galleys  in  the  Delaware  had  a  long  and  well  contested  strug- 
gle with  the  Roebuck  44,  Captain  Hammond,  and  the  Liverpool  20, 
Captain  Bellew,  about  the  first  of  May  of  this  year.  The  cannon- 
ado  was  handsomely  conducted,  and  it  resulted  in  driving  the  enemy 
from  the  river.  During  this  aiTair  the  Wasp  8,  Captain  Alexamler, 
was  active  and  conspicuous,  cutting  out  a  tender  of  the  English  ships 
from  under  their  guns. 

A  spirited  attack  was  alfo  made  on  the  Phoenix  44,  and  Rose  24, 
in  the  Hudson,  on  the  third  of  August,  by  six  American  galleys. 
The  firing  was  heavy  and  well  maintained  for  two  hours,  both  sides 
sufterino-  materially.  On  the  part  of  the  galleys,  eighteen  men  were 
killed  and  wounded,  and  several  guns  were  dismounted  by  shot. 
The  loss  of  the  enemy  is  not  known,  though  both  vessels  were 
repeatedly  hulled. 

But  by  this  time  the  whole  coast  -was  alive  with  adventures  of  such 
a  nature,  scarcely  a  week  passingthat  did  not  give  rise  to  some  inci- 
dent that  would  have  interest  for  the  reader,  did  the  limits  of  our  work 
permit  us  to  enter  into  the  details.  Wherever  an  enemy's  cruiser 
appeared,  or  attempted  to  land,  skirmishes  ensued;  and  in  some  of 
these  little  affairs  as  much  personal  gallantry  and  ingenuity  were 
displayed  as  in  many  of  the  more  imj)ortant  combats.  The  coast 
of  New  England  generally,  the  Chesapeake,  and  the  coast  of  the 
Carolinns,  were  the  scenes  of  most  of  these  minor  exploits,  Mhich, 
like  all  the  subordinate  incidents  of  a  great  struggle,  are  gradunUy 
becoming  lost  in  the  more  engrossing  events  of  the  war. 

October  12th,  of  this  year,  an  armed  British  brig,  the  name  of 
which  has  been  lost,  fitted  out  by  the  government  of  the  Island  of 
Jamaica,  made  an  attempt  on  a  small  convoy  of  American  vessels, 
off  Cape  Nicola  Mole,  in  the  West  Indies,  then  in  charge  of  the 
privateer  Ranger  18,  Captain  Hudson.  Perceiving  the  aim  of  the 
enemy,  Captain  Hudson  ran  under  her  stern,  and  gave  her  a  severe 
raking  fire.  The  action  thus  commenced,  lasted  nearly  two  hours, 
when  the  Ranger  boarded,  and  carried  the  brig,  hand  to  hand.  The 
English  vessel,  in  this  affair,  reported  thirteen  men  killed  and 
wounded,  by  the  raking  broadside  of  the  Ranger  alone.  In  the 
whole,  she  had  between  thirty  and  forty  of  her  people  injured.  On 
her  return  from  this  cruise,  the  Ranger  was  purchased  for  the  navy. 

While  these  events  were  o(  'iirring  on  the  ocean,  naval  armaments, 
and  naval  battles,  took  place  oji  those  lakes,  that  witnessed  the  evo- 
lutions of  squadrons  of  forcf;  in  the  subsequent  war  between  the  two 
countries. 

In  order  to  command  the  Lakes  Cli.implain  and  George,  across 
which  lay  the  ancient  and  direct  commu/iiv;atioM  with  the  Canadas, 


i 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


73 


flotillas  had  been  constructed  on  both  these  waters,  by  the  Ameri- 
cans. To  resist  this  force,  ond  with  a  view  to  co-operate  with  the 
movements  of  their  troops,  the  British  commenced  the  construction 
of  vessels  at  St.  Johns.  Several  men-of-war  were  laid  up,  in  the  St. 
Lawrence,  and  their  officers  and  crews  were  transferred  to  the  ship- 
ping built  on  Lake  Champlain. 

The  American  force,  in  the  month  of  August,  appears  to  have 
consisted  of  the  following  vessels,  viz : 

Schooner,  Royal  Savage,  12,  Wynkoop. 

Do.       Enterprise,         12,  Dixon. 

Do.       Revenge, 

Do.       Liberty, 
Gondola, 

Do. 

Do. 


10,  Laman. 
10,  Plumer. 

3,  Simmo!)s. 

3,  Mansfield. 

3,  Sumner. 


Do.  3,  Ustens. 

To  this  force  were  added  several  more  gondolas,  and  a  few  row 
galleys.  These  vessels  were  hastily  equipped,  and  in  most  of  the 
instances,  it  is  believed,  that  they  were  commanded  by  officers  in  the 
army.  Tiieir  crews  were  principally  soldiers.  At  a  later  day,  the 
American  force  was  materially  changed,  new  na;nes  were  given  and 
new  vessels  substituted,  but  so  much  confusion  exists  in  the  accounts 
as  to  render  any  formal  attempt  at  accuracy  in  enumerating  the  craft, 
difficult,  if  not  impossible. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  British  constructed  a  force  that  enabled 
them  to  take  the  lake  in  October,  with  tlie  following  vessels,  viz  : 


16,  Lieutenant  Schank. 
Starke. 
Dacres. 
Scott. 
Lancroft. 


Ship,  Inflexible, 

Schooner,     Maria,  14, 

Do.  Carleton,  12, 

Radeau,        Thunderer,  14, 

Gondola,  '^  nal  Convert,  6, 
To  these  were  added  twenty  gun-boats,  toiu  "  ng-boats,  each 
armed  with  a  gun,  and  twenty-fcur  other  craft,  loaded  with  stores 
and  provisions.  The  metal  of  this  flotilla  was  much  superior  to  that 
of  the  American  force,  the  Inflexible  carrying  twelve  pounders,  the 
schooners  sixes,  the  radeau  twenty-fours  and  twelves,  and  the  gun- 
boats, pieces  that  varied  from  eighteens  down  to  nines.  The  British 
accounts  admit  that  796  officers  and  men  were  drafted  from  the  Isis, 
Blonde,  Triton,  Garland,  &.C.,  in  order  to  man  these  vessels,  and 
artillerist?  and  other  troops  were  also  put  on  board  to  aid  in  fighting 
them. 

October  llth.  General  Arnold,  who  conrnided  the  American 
flotilla,  was  lying  off*  Cumberland  Head,  wiioii  at  eight  in  the  morn- 
ing, ♦^he  enemy  appeared  in  force,  to  the  northward,  turning  to  wind- 
ward with  a  view  to  engage.  On  that  day  the  American  vessels 
present  consisted  of  the  Royal  Savage,  12,  Revenge,  10,  Liberty, 
10,  Let,  cutter,  4,  Congress,  galley,  10,  Washington,  do.,  10,  Trum- 
bull, do.,  10,  and  eight  gondolas.  Besides  the  changes  that  had  been 
made  sinct;  August,  two  or  three  of  the  vessels  that  were  on  the  lake 


m 

m 


** 


74 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776 


asi 


H 


were  absent  on  their  duty.     The  bent  accounts  stuto  the  force  of  this 
flotilhi,  or  of  the  vessels  present,  us  follows,  viz : 
Guns,     90. 
Metnl,  (547  lbs. 
Men,     000,  including  soldiers. 

On  this  occnsion,  the  British  brought  up  nearly  their  whole  force, 
as  it  has  been  already  stated,  although  having  the  disadvantage  of 
being  to  leeward,  all  their  vessels  could  not  get  into  close  action. 
Captain  Douglas,  of  the  Isis,  had  commanded  the  naval  movements 
thot  pr«'''*u''  I  t'lo  battles,  and  Lieutenant  General  Sir  Guy  Carleton, 
was  p' ,  sti.i,  i'i  person,  on  board  the  Maria.  The  first  officer,  in 
hi.s  ulticinl  report  of  the  events,  mentions  that  the  Inflexible  was 
ready  to  sail,  within  twenty-eight  days  after  her  keel  had  been  laid, 
und  that  he  had  caused  to  be  e(pii|)ped,  between  July  and  October, 
"  thirty  fighting  vessels  of  different  sorts  and  sizes,  and  all  carrying 
cannon."  Captain  Pringle,  of  the  Lord  Howe,  was  the  officer 
actually  in  charge,  bow«..  •  ,  .*  the  British  naval  force  on  the  lake, 
and  he  commanded  ni  person  in  the  different  encounters. 

The  action  of  the  11th  of  October  commenced  at  eleven,  in  the 
forenoon,  and  by  half-past  twelve  it  was  warm.  On  the  part  oi"  the 
British,  the  battle  for  a  long  time  was  principally  carried  on  by  the 
gun  boats,  which  were  enabb-d  to  sweep  up  to  windward,  and  which, 
by  their  weight  of  metal,  were  very  efficient  in  smooth  water.  The 
Carleton,  12,  Lieutenant  Dacrcs,  was  much  distinguished  in  tliisday, 
being  the  only  vessel  of  size,  that  could  get  into  close  fight.  After 
maintaining  a  hot  fire  for  several  hours,  C/iptain  Pringle  judiciously 
called  off  the  vessels  that  were  engaged,  anchoring  just  out  of  gun- 
shot, with  an  intention  to  renew  the  attack  in  the  morning.  In  this 
affair  the  Americans,  who  had  discovered  great  f'teodiness  throuffh- 
out  the  day,  had  about  CO  killed  and  wounded,  while  the  British 
acknowledged  a  loss  of  only  40.  The  Carleton,  however,  sufferr  j 
considerably. 

Sntisfied  that  it  would  be  impossible,  successfully,  to  resist  so  great 
a  superiority  of  force.  General  Arnold  got  under  way,  at  2  P.  M.,  on 
the  12tli,  with  the  wind  fresh  ahead.  The  enemy  mide  sail  in  chase, 
as  soon  as  his  departure  Avas  discovered,  but  neither  flotilla  could 
make  much  progress  on  account  of  the  gondolas,  which  were  unable 
to  turn  to  windward.  In  the  evening  the  wind  moderated,  when  the 
Americans  gained  matt  rially  on  their  pursuers.  Another  change 
occurred,  however,  and  a  singular  variation  in  the  currents  of  air, 
now  fivou'-ed  the  enemy;  for  while  the  Americans,  in  tin;  narrow 
part  of  the  lake,  were  contending  witl\  a  fresh  southerly  breeze,  the 
English  got  the  wind  at  northeast,  which  brought  their  leading  ves- 
sels within  gun-shot  at  1'^,  meridian,  on  the  13t!i. 

On  this  occasion  Captain  Pringle,  in  the  Maria,  led  in  person, 
closely  supported  1;  Mie  Tiiflexil)le  and  Carleton.  The  Americans 
were  much  scatteicj,  several  of  the  gondolas  having  b(;en  sunk  and 
abandoned,  on  acoount  of  the  impossibility  of  bringing  them  off. 
General  Arnold,  in  the  Conirress  galley,  covered  the  rear  of  bis 
retreating  flotilla,  having  the  Washington  galley,  on  board  of  which 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


<5 


wa.s  Brigadier  General  Waterhury,  in  cutnpany.  The  lattrr  had 
benn  much  Hliattered  ia  the  fight,  of  the  11th,  and  ut'trr  rccrivJMg  a 
few  broadside-  she  was  compelled  to  strike.  General  Arnolil,  now 
defuridcd  hiin  *'  like  a  lion,  in  the  Congn^ss,  occupying  the  tlirco 
vessels  of  the  <  uemy  so  long  a  time,  as  to  enable  si.Y  of  his  litlK  lleet 
to  escape.  When  turther  resistance  was  out  of  the  tpiestion,  he  ran 
the  Congress  on  shore,  set  fire  to  her,  and  she  blew  up  with  her  col- 
ours flying. 

Although  the  result  of  this  action  was  so  disastrous,  the  Auiericnn 
arms  gained  much  credit,  by  the  obstinacy  of  tlu!  resistance,  (ien- 
eral  Arnold,  in  particular,  covered  himself  with  glory,  and  his  ex- 
ample appears  to  have  been  nobly  followed  by  most  of  his  otlicern 
and  men.  Even  the  enemy  did  justice  to  the  resolution  and  ^kili 
with  which  the  American  flotilla  was  managed,  the  disparity  in  the 
force  rendering  victory  out  of  the  question  from  the  first.  Tlie  man- 
ner in  which  the  Con^rress  was  fouirht  until  she  had  covered  the  re- 
treat  of  the  galleys,  and  the  stubborn  resolution  with  which  she  was 
defended  until  destroyed,  converted  the  disasters  of  this  part  of  the 
day,  into  a  species  of  triumph. 

In  these  alfairs,  the  Americans  lost  eleven  vessels,  princi[)ally  gon- 
dolas, while  on  the  part  of  the  British,  two  gondolas  were  sunk,  and 
one  blown  up.  The  loss  of  men  was  supposed  to  be  about  ('t|iial,  no 
less  than  sixty  of  the  enemy  perishing  in  the  gondola  that  blew  jp. 
This  statement  differs  from  the  published  ofticial  accounts  of  the 
English,  but  those  reports,  besides  being  meagre  and  general,  are 
contradicted  by  too  much  testimony  on  the  other  side,  to  command 
our  respect. 

There  has  been  occasion,  already,  to  mention  Mr.  John  Manly, 
who,  in  command  of  the  schooner  Lee,  made  the  first  captures  that 
occurred  in  the  war.     The  activity  and  resolution  of  this  ofllcer, 
rendered  his  name  conspicuous  at  the  commencement  of  the  strug- 
gle, and  it  followed  as  a  natural  consequence,  that,  when  Congress 
regulated  the  rank  of  the  captains,  in  177G,  he  appears  as  one  of 
them,  Ills  appointment  having  been  made  us  early  as  April  the  17th, 
of  this  year.     So  highly,  indeed,  were  his  services  then  api)reciated, 
that  the  name  of  Captain  Manly  stands  second  on  the  list,  and  he 
was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Hancock  33.     When  Captain 
Manly  was  taken  into  the  navy,  the  Lee  was  given  to  Captain 
Waters,  and  was  present  at  the  capture  of  the  three  transports  off 
Boston,  as  has  been  already  stated.     This  little  schooner,  the  name 
of  which  will  ever  remain  associated  'vith  American  history,  in  con- 
sequence of  her  all  important  capture;*  in  1775,  appears  to  have  con- 
tinued actively  employed,  as  an  iii-^hore  cruiser,  throughout  this 
year,  if  not  later,  in  the  pay  of  the  new  state  of  Massachusetts. 
Captain  Waters,  like  his  predecessor.  Captain  Manly,  was  received 
into  the  navy,  on  the  recommendation  of'Washington,  a  commission 
to  that  efloct  having  been  granted  by  Congress,  March  18th,  1777. 

Much  enterprise  and  gallantry  were  exhibited  in  the  encounters 
between  the  American  j)rivateers  and  heavily  armed  merchant-ships 
of  the  enemy,  at  this  period,  and  England  appears  to  have  been  so 


i  ; 


76 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


1776. 


completely  tJiken  hy  surfirisp,  tlint  tlicy  w«;rc  of  almost  ilaily  occur- 
rence. The  tliflVrent  colonics,  uIho,  fitted  out  uinrc  cruiHcrs,  princi- 
pully  vcHscIs  purchased  f<)r  that  pur|)OHe,  and  f^nu'  «»t*  thcni  wcro 
connnaiided  hy  olHcerf  who  also  horc  connnis";- mb  in  the  Hcrvice  of 
ContjfrcHs,  or  of  the  United  States  of  Ainencu,  !c  ihu  confederation 
W'dH  called  after  the  Declaration  of  Independence.  South  ( 'arolina, 
on  the  10th  Fehruary,  177(J,  had  three  of  these  vessels  ;  a  ship  of  iJ6 
nine  pounders  ;  a  l)ri;,M)f  18  sixes  ;  and  a  schooner  of  V2  sixes.  Ono 
of  these  cruisers  drove  a  sloop  of  war  from  her  convoy,  and  captured 
four  transports  loaded  with  stores.  Massachusetts  was  nev«'r  without 
8ev<!ral  cruisers,  and  Pennsylvania,  from  time  to  time,  had  more  or 
less.  Virjrinia  liad  her  little  marine,  too,  as  has  heen  already  men- 
tioned, thoug'h  its  attention  was  principally  directed  to  the  defence 
of  her  numerous  rivers  and  hays. 

Some  of  the  English  accounts  of  this  period  state  that  near  a 
hundred  privateers  had  heen  fitted  out  of  New  En<>land  nione,  in  the 
two  first  years  of  the  war,  atul  the  numher  of  scnujen  in  the  service 
of  the  crown,  employed  against  tlic  new  Stales  of  America,  was  com- 
puted at  20,000. 

The  colonies  obtained  many  important  supplies,  colonial  as  well 
as  military,  and  even  manufactured  articles  of  ordinary  use,  by  means 
of  their  captures  ;  scarce  a  day  passintr  that  ves;?els  of  greater  or 
less  value  did  not  arrive  in  some  one  of  the  ports  of  their  extensive 
coast.  By  n  list  published  in  the  Remembrancer,  an  English  work 
of  credit,  it  appears  that  343  sail  of  English  vessels  had  been  taken 
by  American  cruisers  in  177G  ;  of  which  immber  44  were  recaptured, 
18  released,  and  4  burned. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  Americans  met  with  their  disasters ;  many 
privateers  being  taken,  principally  by  the  fast-sailing  frigates  of  the 
enemy,  while  valuable  merchantmen  fell  into  their  hands,  from  time 
to  time.  In  short,  in  a  commercial  sense,  the  war  became  very 
destructive  to  both  parties,  though  it  was  best  supported  by  the  colo- 
nists, the  rise  in  colonial  produce,  in  a  measure,  compensating  them 
for  tjieir  losses. 


sea. 


la- -1 


I:'!! 
'til 


5 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Successful  cruise  of  tho  Handolpli British  accounl,  of  tlio  action,  in  which  she  Mew  up 

Loss  of  tiie  Cabot...  The  Trumbull  captures  two  Ent'lish  transports The  Han- 
cock,  Ciii)t,  Manly,  captures  the  Fox,  which  is  afterwards  recaptured  otl' Halifax 

Cajit.  M.  surrenders  his  ship  to  the  British Capt.  McNiel  censured  and  dismissed  the 

service Vcss«;ls  destroyed  in  the  Delaware  by  the  English The  Augusta  blown 

up Cruise  of  tlio  ttaloi'gh,  and  her  action  with  "the  Druid. 

The  year  1777  opened  with  new  prospects  for  the  American 
cause.  The  hardy  movj'inents  of  Washington  in  New  Jersey  had 
restored  the  drooping  confidence  of  the  nation,  and  great  efforts  were 


1776.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


77 


made  to  follow  up  ttio  iidvantugt!  that  Imd  been  ho  glorioiiHly  ob- 
tained. Mo8t  ot  the  vcMHelH  uuthoriHed  by  the  Iuwh  of  1775,  hud 
been  built  and  e(|iii|>ped  during  the  year  1770,  end  America  may 
now  be  said,  for  tiic  firut  time,  to  have  Hotnething  like  a  reufidar  navy, 
althoii^^h  the  Hervicc  wiiH  Hlill,  and  indeed  continued  to  be  throu;;hout 
the  war,  deficient  in  organisation,  Hysteni,  and  unity.  After  the  lira' 
effort,  connected  with  its  creation,  the  l)U8ines«  of  repairing  losnci., 
of  iiiereasinir  the  force,  and  of  perfecting  that  which  had  been  ho 
hastily  commenced,  however,  was  either  totally  neglected,  or  carried 
on  in  a  nmnner  so  desultory  and  inefficient,  us  soon  to  leave  very 
little  of  method  or  order  in  the  marine.  As  a  conseiiuence,  otHcers 
were  constantly  compelled  to  seek  employment  in  privat»!  armed 
ships,  or  to  remain  idle,  and  the  discipline  did  not  advance,  as  would 
othr-rwise  have  been  the  case  during  the  heat  of  an  active  war.  To 
the  necessities  of  the  nation,  however,  and  not  to  its  foresight  and 
prudence,  must  be  attributed  this  state  of  things,  the  means  of  rais- 
ing and  maintaining  troops  being  obtained  with  difficulty,  and  the 
cost  of  many  ships  entirely  exceeding  its  resources.  It  is  ])robablo 
that  had  not  the  public  armed  vessels  been  found  useful  in  conveying, 
as  well  as  in  convoying  the  produce,  by  means  of  which  the  loans 
obtained  in  Europe  were  met,  and  perhaps  indispensable  in  keeping 
up  the  di[>lomatic  communications  with  that  quarter  of  the  world, 
the  navy  would  have  been  suflfered  to  become  extinct,  beyond  its 
employment  in  the  bays  and  rivers  of  the  country.  This,  however, 
is  anticipating  events,  for  at  the  precise  moment  in  the  incidents  of 
the  war  at  which  we  have  now  arrived,  the  exertions  of  the  republic 
were  perhaps  at  their  height,  as  respects  its  naval  armaments. 

One  of  the  first,  if  not  the  ver^  first  of  the  new  vessels  that  got  to 
sea,  was  the  Randolph  32.  It  has  been  seen  that  Captain  Biddlo 
was  appointed  to  this  ship,  on  his  return  from  his  successful  cruise  in 
the  Andrea  Doria  14.  The  Randolph  was  launched  at  Philadelphia 
in  the  course  of  the  season  of  1776,  and  sailed  on  her  first  cruise 
early  in  1777.  Discovering  a  defect  in  her  masts,  as  well  as  a  dis- 
position to  mutiny  in  his  people,  too  many  of  whom  were  v  Vidteers 
from  among  the  prisoners.  Captain  Diddle  put  into  C'!"/'(  -t<ni  for 
repairs.  As  soon  as  the  ship  was  refitted,  he  sailed  ag»'M 
days  out,  he  fell  in  with  and  captured  four  Jamnito  . 
which,  the  True  Briton,  had  an  ormament  of  20  gui 
dolph  returned  to  Charleston,  with  her  prizes,  in  satttj , 
appears  to  have  been  blockaded,  by  a  superior  English  fon  ,  ..jring 
the  remainder  of  the  season.  The  state  authorities  of  South  Caro- 
lina were  so  much  pleased  with  the  zeal  and  deportment  of  Captain 
Biddle,  and  so  much  elated  with  their  own  success  against  Sir  Peter 
Parker,  that  they  now  added  four  small  vessels  of  war  of  their  own, 
the  General  Moultrie  18,  the  Polly  16,  the  Notre  Dame  16,  and  the 
Fair  American  14,  to  his  command.  With  these  vessels  in  com- 
pany, and  under  his  orders.  Captain  Biddle  sailed,  early  in  1778,  in 
quest  of  the  British  ships,  the  Carrysfort  32,  the  Perseus  20,  the 
Hiiichinbrook  16,  and  a  privateer,  which  had  been  cruisin;?  off 
Charleston  ft>r  some  time.     The  American  squadron,  however,  had 


a. I' I  f 
n,  i'l'. 

/it"  i' 


ree 
of 


'■■l 


1 1 


78 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776. 


I' 


been  detained  so  long  by  foul  winds,  that,  when  it  got  into  the  off- 
ing, no  traces  of  the  enemy  were  to  be  discovered.  For  the  further 
history  of  the  Randolph,  we  are  unhappily  indebted  to  the  British  ac- 
counts. 

By  a  letter  from  C  iptain  Vincent,  of  his  Britannic  Majesty's  ship 
Yarmouth,  64,  dated  March  17th  1778,  we  learn  that,  on  the  7th  of 
that  month,  while  cruising  to  the  eastward  of  Barbadoes,  he  made 
six  sail  to  the  southwest,  standing  on  a  wind.     The  Yarmouth  bore 
down  on  the  chases,  which  proved  to  be  two  ships,  three  brigs,  and  a 
schooner.     About  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening  she  succeeded  in 
ran*»-in<»-  up  on  the  weather  quarter  of  the  largest  and  leading  vessel 
of  the  strangers  ;  the  ship  next  in  size,  being  a  little  astern  and  to  lee- 
ward.    Hoisting  her  own  colours,  the  Yarmouth  ordered  the  ship 
near  her  to  show  her  ensign,  when  the  American  flag  was  run  up, 
and  the  enamy  poured  in  a  broadside.     A  smart  action  now  com- 
menced, and  was  maintained  with  vigour  for  twenty  minutes,  when 
the  stranger  blew  up.     The  two  ships  Avere  so  near  each  other  at  the 
time,  that  many  fragments  of  the  wreck  struck  the  Yarmouth,  and 
among  other  things,  an  American  ensign,  rolled  up,  was  blown  in 
upon  iier  forecastle.     This  flag  was  not  even  singed.     The  vessels 
in  company  now  steered  different  ways,  and  the  Yarmouth  gave 
chase  to  two,  varying  her  own  course  for  that  purpose.     But  her  sails 
had  suffered  so  much  in  the  engagement,  that  the  vessels  chased 
soon  run  her  out  of  sight.     In  this  short  action  the  Yarmouth,  by 
the  report  of  her  own  commander,  had  five  men  killed  and  twelve 
wounded.     On  the  12th,  while  cruising  near  the  same  place,  a  piece 
of  wreck  was  discovered,  with  four  men  on  it,  who  were  making 
signals  for  relief.     These  men  were  saved,  and  when  they  got  on 
board  the  Yarmouth,  they  reported  themselves  as  having  belonged 
to  the  United  States  ship  Randolph  32,  Captain  Biddle,  the  vessel 
that  had  blown  up  in  action  with  the  English  ship  on  the  night  of  the 
7th  of  the  same  month.     They  had  been  floating  ever  since  on  the 
piece  of  wreck,  without  any  other  sustenance  than  a  little  rain  water. 
They  stated  that  they  were  a  month  out  of  Charleston. 

We  regard  with  admiration  the  steadiness  and  spirit  with  which 
according  to  the  account  of  his  enemy.  Captain  Biddle  commenced 
this  action,  against  a  force  so  vastly  his  superior  ;  and,  although  vic- 
tory was  almost  hopeless,  even  had  all  his  vessels  behaved  equally 
well  with  his  own  ship,  we  find  it  diflScult,  under  the  circumstances, 
to  suppose  that  this  gallant  seaman  did  not  actually  contemplate 
carrying  his  powerful  antagonist,  most  probably  by  boarding.* 

"  Nicholas  Biddle  was  descended  from  ore  of  those  respectable  families  ♦hat  first 
peopled  West  Jersey,  in  the  last  qnarter  of  the  seventeenth  century.  He  was  the  sixth 
son  of  William  Riddle,  of  that  colony,  who  had  removed  to  the  city  of  Philadelphia  pre- 
viously to  his  birth,  and  where  this  child  v/asbom,  in  IT^O.  Yonnp:  Biddle  went  to  sea 
at  thirteen,  and  from  that  early  ap-o  appears  to  hnve  devoted  himself  to  the  calling  with 
ardour  and  perseverance.  After  Fevoral  voyatres,  and  suffering  much  in  tlie  way  of 
shipwreck,  he  went  to  England,  and  by  means  of  letters,  was  rated  as  a  midshipman  on 
board  of  a  British  sloop  of  wnr.  commanded  by  Captain,  aftci-wards  Admiral,  Sterling. 
It  is  a  sinsular  fact  in  the  life  of  this  remarkable  young  man,  that  ho  subseqi;  atly  en- 
teii'd  on  board  one  of  the  ves-sels  sent  towards  the  Nortli  Pole,  under  the  Hoii.  u'aptain 
Pliinfis.  wlicrc  lie  found  Nel^m  a  volunteer  like  himself  Both  were  made  cockswains 
by  the  connnodoro.     This  was  in  177S,  and  the  difficulties  with  the  American  colonies 


1777.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


79 


In  March,  1777,  the  United  States  brig  Cabot,  Captain  Olney, 
was  chased  ashore,  on  the  coast  of  Nova  Scotia  by  the  British  frig- 
ate Milford,  which  pressed  the  Cabot  so  hard  that  there  was  barely 
time  to  get  the  people  out  of  the  brig.  Captain  Olney  and  his  crew 
retreated  into  the  woods,  and  subsequently  they  made  their  escape 
by  seizing  a  schooner,  in  which  they  safely  arrived  at  home.  The 
enemy,  after  a  long  trial,  got  the  Cabot  off,  and  she  was  taken  into 
the  British  navy. 

Shortly  after  this  loss,  or  on  the  9th  of  April,  the  Trumbull  28, 
Captain  Saltonstall,  fell  in  with,  off  New  York,  and  captured  after  a 
rimart  action,  two  armed  transports,  with  stores  of  value  on  board. 
In  this  affair  the  enemy  suffered  severely  in  casualties,  and  the  Trum- 
bull herself  had  7  men  killed  and  S  wounded. 

In  May  of  this  year,  the  Hancock  32,  Capt.  John  Manly,  and  the 
Boston  24,  Capt.  Hector  McNiel,  sailed  in  company  from  Boston,  on 
a  cruise  to  the  eastward.  A  few  days  out,  or  in  the  month  of  May, 
the  Hancock  made  a  strange  sail,*  early  in  the  morning,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  near  enough  to  her  to  exchange  broadsides,  on  op- 
posite tacks  ;  the  Hancock  using  her  starboard  and  the  enemy  his 
larboard  guns.  At  this  time,  the  Boston  was  out  of  gun-shot.  Find- 
ing that  he  had  to  deal  with  an  antagonist  of  superior  force,  the 
English  vessel,  Avhich  was  a  frigate,  stood  on,  crowding  sail  to  es- 
cape. The  Hancock  now  went  about,  in  pursuit,  when  Captain 
Manly  sent  his  people  from  the  guns,  and  ordered  them  to  get  their 
breakfasts.  As  the  Hancock  was  one  of  the  fastest  ships  that  was 
ever  built,  she  quickly  drew  up  abeam  oftliechase,which  renewed  her 
fire  as  soon  as  her  guns  would  bear.  Captain  Manly,  however, 
commanded  his  men  not  to  discharge  a  gun,  until  fairly  alongside, 
when  a  warm  and  close  action  commenced,  that  lasted  an  hour  and 
a  half,  when  the  Boston  drawing  near,  the  Englishman  struck.     The 

prize  proved  to  be  the  Fox  28,  Capt.  .     In  this  action  the 

Hancock  lost  8  men,  and  the  Fox  32.     The  Boston  did  not  fire  a 

were  coming  to  a  head.  In  1775,  Mr.  Biddle  returned  home,  prepared  to  share  his 
country's  fortunes,  in  weal  or  wo. 

The  fir.st  employment  of  Mr.  Biddlo,  in  the  public  service,  was  in  command  of  a  gal- 
ley called  the  Camden,  fitted  out  by  the  colony  for  the  defence  of  the  Delaware.  From 
this  station  ho  was  transferred  to  the  service  of  Congress,  or  put  into  the  regular  marine, 
as  it  then  existed,  and  given  the  command  of  the  brig  Andrea  Doria,  14.  In  this  vesfsel 
he  does  not  appear  to  have  had  much  share  in  the  combat  with  the  Glasgow,  though 
present  in  the  scjuttdron,  and  in  the  expedition  against  New  Providence.  Hissuccessfal 
cruise  to  the  eastw  ;ird,  in  the  Doria,  has  been  related  in  the  body  of  the  work,  and  on  his 
return  lie  was  appointed  to  the  Randoph,  33,  the  vessel  in  which  he  perished. 

In  tlie  action  with  tlie  Yarmouth,  Captain  Biddle  was  eoverely  wounded  in  the  thigh, 
and  is  said  to  have  been  seated  in  a  cliair,  with  the  surgeon  examining  his  hurt,  when 
his  ship  blew  up.  His  deatli  occurred  at  the  earlv  age  of  twenty-seven,  and  he  died 
unmarried,  though  engaged,  at  the  time,  to  a  Iray  m  Charleston. 

There  is  little  question  that  Nicholas  Biddle  would  have  risen  to  high  rank  and  great 
consideration,  luid  his  life  been  spared.  Ardent,  ambitious,  icarless,  intelligent,  and 
persevering,  ho  had  all  the  qualities  of  a  great  naval  captain,  and,  the -igh  possessing 
some  local  family  influence  perhaps,  he  rose  to  the  station  he  filled  at  so  early  l  .i  age,  by 
personal  merit.  For  so  short  a  career,  scarcely  any  other  had  been  so  br"'''ant;  for 
though  no  victories  over  regular  cruisers  accompanied  his  exertions,  he  had  ev^'r  been 
successful  until  the  fatal  moment  when  he  so  glorioua'y  fell.  His  loss  was  greatly  ro- 
Rvetted  in  the  mldstof  the  excitement  anu  vicissitudes  of  a  revolution,  and  can  scarcely 
be  apfireciuted  by  those  who  do  not  understand  the  influence  that  such  a  character  can 
produce  on  a  small  and  infant  service. 


80 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1777. 


gun  until  just  after  the  Fox  had  struck,  when  she  is  said  to  have 
given  her  a  broadside,  the  Hancock  being  in  the  act  of  lowering  the 
boats  to  take  possession,  as  her  consort  ranged  up  on  the  beam  of 
the  prize. 

Captain  Manly,  now,  put  a  crew  on  board  the  Fox,  and  con- 
tinued his  cruise,  but  was  not  fortunate  enough  to  fall  in  with  any 
thing  of  moment.  On  the  1st  of  June,  the  thiee  ships  appeared  off 
Halifax,  in  company,  looking  into  the  harbour.  This  brought  out 
the  Rainbow,  a  44  on  two  decks,  Sir  George  Collier,  the  Flora  32, 
and  the  Victor  18,  in  chase.  The  Americans  scattered,  the  Rain- 
bow and  Victor  pressing  the  Hancock,  the  Flora  the  Fox,  while  the 
Boston  had  so  much  the  start,  as  to  be  able  easily  to  keep  aloof. 
The  Flora  first  closed  with  the  Fox,  which  ship  she  recaptured  after 
a  short,  but  spirited  action.  Tli';  wind  being  very  light.  Captain 
Manly  attempted  to  lighten  his  ihip,  by  pumping  out  the  water, 
and  is  believed  to  have  hurt  her  st  iliug,  by  altering  the  trim.  Find- 
ing the  Rainbow  was  closing,  that  gallant  officer  made  his  dispo- 
sitions for  boarding,  and  doubtless,  would  have  made  a  desperate 
effort  to  carry  his  powerful  antagonist,  had  the  wind  permitted.  The 
air  remained  so  light,  however,  that  the  Rainbow  got  him  fairly  un- 
der her  guns,  before  he  could  get  near  enough  to  accomplish  the 
object.  The  Victor  getting  a  raking  position  at  the  same  time,  the 
Hancock  struck. 

Captain  McNiel  was  much  censured  for  abandoning  his  consort 
on  this  occasion,  and  was  dismissed  the  service,  in  consequence.  As 
respects  the  Hancock,  it  is  not  probable  the  Boston  could  have  done 
much  service,  the  Rainbow  alone  having  been  superior  to  them  both, 
but  our  accounts  state  that  being  about  a  league  to  windward  of  the 
Fox,  when  she  was  engaged,  it  was  in  the  power  of  Captain  Mc- 
Niel to  have  rendered  her  essential  assistance,  and  possibly  to  have 
prevented  the  recapture.  No  official  accounts  of  the  loss  sus- 
tained, by  either  side,  in  this  last  affair,  have  been  obtained. 

The  occupation  of  Philadelphia  by  the  British  army,  this  year, 
wrought  a  material  change  in  the  naval  arrangements  of  the  country. 
Up  to  this  time,  the  Delaware  had  been  a  safe  place  of  retreat  for 
the  different  cruisers,  and  ships  had  been  constructed  on  its  banks 
in  security  and  to  advantage.  The  largest  town  in  the  _  United 
States,  Philadelphia  offered  unusual  facilities  for  such  objects,  and 
many  public  and  private  armed  cruisers  had  been  equipped  at  her 
wharves  previously  to  the  appearance  of  the  British  forces,  under 
Sir  William  Howe.  That  important  event  completely  altered  the 
state  of  things,  and  the  vessels  that  were  in  the  stream  at  the  time, 
were  compelled  to  move  higher  up  the  river,  or  to  get  to  sea  in  the 
best  manner  they  could.  Unfortunately,  several  of  the  ships  con- 
structed, or  purchased,  under  the  laws  of  1775,  were  not  in  a  situa- 
tion to  adopt  the  latter  expedient,  and  they  were  carried  to  diflcrent 
places  thai  w«  le  supposed  to  offer  the  greatest  security. 

As  uynirtoftlie  American  vessels  and  galleys  were  above,  and  a 
part  below  the  town,  the  very  day  aft«'r  reacliing  the  capital,  the 
English  commenced  the  erection  of  batteries  to  intercept  the  corn- 


1777.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


81 


munications  between  them.  Aware  of  the  consequences,  the  Dela- 
ware 24,  Captain  Alexander,  and  Andrea  Doria  14,  seconded  by 
some  other  vessels,  belonging  to  the  navy,  and  to  the  State  of  Penn- 
sylvania, moved  in  front  of  these  works,  and  opened  a  cannonade, 
with  a  view  to  destroy  them.  The  Delaware  was  so  unfortunately 
placed,  that  when  the  tide  fell,  she  took  the  ground,  and  her  guns 
became  unmanageable.  Some  field  pieces  were  brought  to  bear  on 
her,  while  in  this,  helpless  situation,  and  she  necessarily  struck. 
The  other  vessels  were  compelled  to  retire. 

As  the  command  of  the  river  was  now  indispenable  to  the  British, 
they  turned  their  attention  at  once  to  the  destruction  of  the  Ameri- 
can works  below  the  town.     An  unsuccessful  land  attack  was  made 
by  the  Hessians,  on  Red  Bank,  and  this  was  soon  followed  by  an- 
other on  Fort  Mifflin,  which,  as  it  was  intrusted  to  the  shipping, 
comes  more  properly  within  our  observation.     With  a  view  to  effect 
the  reduction  or  abandonment  of  Fort  Mifflin,  the  British  assembled 
a  squadron  of  .«hips  of  a  light  draft  of  water,  among  which  was  the 
Augusta  64,  which  had  been  partially  stripped,  and  fitted  in  some 
measure  as  a  floating  battery.     As  soon   as  the  troops  advanced 
against  Red  Bank,  as  stated,  the  ships  began  to  move,  but  some 
chevaux  de  frise  anchored  in  the  river,  had  altered  its  channel,  and 
the  Augusta,  and  the  Merlin  sloop  of  war,  got  fast,  in  unfavorable 
positions.     Some  firing  between  the  other  vess*?ls  and  the  American 
works  and  galleys  now  took  place,  but  was  soon  put  a  stop  to  by  the 
approach  of  night.     The  next  day  the  action  was  renewed  with 
spirit,  the  Roebuck  44,  Isis  32,  Pearl  32,  and  Liverpool  28,  being 
present,  in  addition  to  the  Augusta  and  Merlin.     Fire-ships  were  in- 
effectually employed  by  the  Americans,  intt  the  cannonade  became 
heavy.     In  the  midst  of  the  firing,  it  is  said,  that  some  pressed  hay, 
which  had  been  secured  on  the.rjuarter  of  the  Augusta,  to  rend«^r  her 
shot-proof,  took  fire,  and  the  ship  was  soon  in  flames.     It  now  be- 
came necessary  to  withdraw  the  other  vessels  in  order  tu  escape  ^w? 
effects  of  the  explosion,  and  the  attack  was  abandoii»H.     The  Au- 
gusta blew  up,  and  the  Merlin  having  ben  set  on  fire  by  the  British 
shared  the  same  fate.     A  number  of  the  crew  of  the  Augusta  w«re 
lost  in  that  ship,  the  conflagrafwn  being  so  rapid  n»  to  prevent  their 
removal.     A  second  and  better  concerted  attack,  however,  shortly 
afi;er,  compelled  the  Arnericaiis  to  evacuate  the  works,  wIm-u  theeii» 
emy  got  command  of  the  river  from  the  capes  to  the  town.      Thin 
state  of  things  induced  tUe  Americans  to  destroy  the  few  m-n  vesseU 
that  remained  below  Philadelphia,  among  which  were  the  U.  S.  Brig 
Andrea  Uoria  1 4,  and  schooner  Wasp  8,  and  it  is  believed  the  Hor- 
net 10,  though  the  galleys,  by  following  the  Jersey  shore,  were  en- 
abled to  escape  above. 

While  these  important  movements  were  occurring  in  the  middle 
states,  the  Raleigh,  a  fine  twelve-pounder  frigate,  that  had  been  con- 
structed in  New  Hampshire,  und<;r  the  law  of  17 /o,  was  enabled  to 
fifettosea  for  tl:  ■  first  time.  She  was  connnanded  by  Captain 
Thompson,  the  officer  who  jippears  as  sixth  on  the  list,  and  sailed  in 
company  with  the  Alfred  24,  Captain  Hinnian.     These  two  ships 


li 


VOL.    I. 


6 


11 


82 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1777. 


went  to  sea,  short  of  men,  bound  to  France,  where  military  stores 
were  in  waiting  to  be  transported  to  America. 

Tiie  Raleigh  and  Alfred  had  a  good  ruii  off  the  coast,  and  they 
made  several'^prizes  of  little  value  during  the  first  few  days  of  their 
passage.  On  the  2d  of  September  they  overtook  and  captured  a 
Bnow,°called  the  Nancy,  which  had  been  left  by  the  outward  bound 
Windward  Island  fleet,  the  previous  day.  Ascertaining  from  his 
prisoners  the  position  of  the  West  Indiamer,  Captain  Thompson 
made  sail  in  chase.  The  fleet  was  under  the  charge  of  the  Camel, 
Druid,  Weasel,  and  Grasshopper,  the  firsi  of  which  is  said  to  have 
had  an  armament  of  twelve  pounders.  The  following  day,  or  Sep- 
tember 3d,  1777,  the  Raleigh  made  the  convoy  from  her  mast  heads, 
and  by  sunset  was  near  enough  to  ascertain  that  there  were  sixty  sail, 
as  well  as  the  positions  of  the  men-of-war.  Captain  Thompson  had 
got  thj  signals  of  the  fleet  f^'om  his  prize,  and  he  now  signalled  the 
Alfred,  as  if  belonging  to  the  convoy.  After  dark  he  spoke  his  con- 
sort, and  directed  her  commander  to  keep  near  him,  it  being  his 
intention  to  run  in  among  the  enemy,  and  to  lay  the  commodore 
aboard.  At  this  time,  the  two  American  ships  were  to  windward, 
but  nearly  astern. 

In  the  course  of  the  night  the  wind  shifted  to  the  northAvard,  and 
the  convoy  hauled  by  the  wind,  bringing  the  American  ships  to  le" 
ward.     At  daylight  the  wind  had  freshened,  and  it  became  neces. 
to  carry  more  sail  than  the  Alfred  (a  tender-sided  ship)  could  bt  ».>*. 
Here  occurred  one  of  those  instances  of  the  unfortunate  con?  ^ 
qnences  which  must  always  follow  the  employment  of  vessels  ot 
unequal  qualities  in  the  same  squadron,  or  the  employment  of  offi- 
cers not  trained  in  the  same  high  school.     The  Alfred  would  not 
bear  her  canvass,  and  while  the  Raleigh  fetched  handsomely  into  the 
fleet,  under  double-reeted  topsails,  the  former  fell  to  leeward  more 
than  a  league.     Captain  Thompson  did  not  dare  to  shorten  sail,  lest 
his  character  might  be  suspected,  and  despairing  of  being  supported 
by  the  Alfred,  he  stood  boldly  in  among  the  British  ships  alone,  and 
hove-to  his  ship  in  order  to  permit  the  merchantmen  astern  to  draw 
more  ahead  of  him. 

When  his  plan  was  laid,  Captain  Thompson  filled  away,  and  stood 
directly  through  the  convoy,  luffing  up  towards  the  vessel  of  war  that 
tvas  most  to  windward.  In  doing  this  he  spoke  several  of  the  mer- 
chantmen, giving  them  orders  how  to  strer,  as  if  belonging  himself 
to  the  fleet,  and  repeating  all  the  commodore's  signals.  Up  to  this 
moment  the  Raleigh  appears  to  have  escaped  detection,  nor  had  she 
had  any  signs  of  preparation  about  her,  as  her  guns  were  housed, 
and  her  ports  lowered. 

'  Having  obtained  a  weatherly  position,  the  Raleigh  now  ran  along- 
side of  the  vessel  of  war,  and  when  within  pistol-shot,  she  hauled  up 
her  courses,  run  out  her  guns,  set  her  ensign,  and  connnanded  the 
enemy  to  strike.  So  completely  was  this  vessel  taken  by  surprise, 
that  the  order  threw  her  into  groat  confusion,  and  even  her  sails  got 
aback.  The  Raleigh  seized  this  f:ivoiiraI)le  momen'  to  pour  in  a 
oroadside,  which  was  leobly  returned.     The  enemy  were  soon  driven 


1777.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


83 


from  their  guns,  and  the  Raleigh  fired  twelve  broadsides  into  the 
English  ship  in  twenty  minutes,  scarcely  receiving  a  shot  in  return. 
A  heavy  swell  rendered  the  aim  uncertain,  but  it  was  evident  that 
the  British  vessel  suffered  severely,  and  this  the  more  so,  as  she  was 
of  inferior  force. 

A  squall  had  come  on,  and  at  first  it  shut  in  the  two  ships  engaged. 
When  it  cleared  away,  the  convoy  was  seen  steering  in  all  directions, 
in  the  utmost  confusion,  but  the  vessels  of  war,  with  several  heavy 
well-armed  West  Indiaraen,  tacked  and  hauled  up  for  the  Raleigh, 
leaving  no  doubt  of  their  intentioup  to  engage.  The  frigate  lay  by 
her  adversary  until  the  other  vessels  were  so  near,  that  it  became 
absolutely  necessary  to  quit  her,  and  then  she  ran  to  leeward  and 
joined  the  Alfred.  Here  she  shortened  sail,  and  waited  for  the  en- 
my  to  come  down,  but  it  beitig  dark,  the  British  commodore  tacked 
and  hauled  in  among  his  convoy  again.  The  Raleigh  and  Alfred 
kept  near  this  fleet  for  several  days,  but  no  provocation  could  induce 
the  vessels  of  war  to  come  out  of  it,  and  it  was  finally  abandoned. 

The  ship  engaged  by  the  Raleigh,  proved  to  be  the  Druid  20,  Cap- 
tain Carteret.  She  was  much  cut  up,  and  the  ojfficial  report  of  her 
commander,  made  her  loss  six  killed,  and  twenty-six  wounded.  Of 
the  latter,  five  died  soon  after  the  action,  and  among  the  wounded 
was  her  commander.  The  Druid  was  unable  to  pursue  the  voyage, 
and  returned  to  England. 

In  this  affair.  Captain  Thompson  discovered  a  proper  spirit,  for 
he  might  easily  have  cut  out  of  tlie  fleet  half  a  dozen  merchantmen, 
but  he  appears  to  have  acted  on  the  principle  that  vessels  of  war 
should  first  seek  vessels  of  war.  The  Raleigh  had  three  men  killed 
and  wounded  in  the  engagement,  but  otherwise  sustained  little  injury. 

The  commerce  of  England  suffered  a  loss  of  467  sail  of  mer- 
chantmen, during  the  year  1777,  some  of  which  were  of  great  value, 
though  the  government  kept  a  force  of  about  seventy  sail  of  men-of- 
war  on  the  American  coast  alone.  Many  American  privateers  fell 
into  their  hands  however,  and  a  scarcity  of  men  began  to  be  felt,  in 
consequence  of  the  numbers  that  were  detained  in  tlie  English  prisons. 
It  was  on  the  14th  of  June  of  this  year,  that  Congress  finally  estab- 
lished the  stars  and  stripes  as  the  flag  of  the  nation. 

During  this  year,  Bushnel  made  several  unsuccessful  attempts  to 
blow  up  the  ships  of  the  enemy  by  means  of  torpedoes,  a  species  of 
warfare  that  it  can  hardly  be  regretted  has  so  uniformly  failed,  since 
its  tendency  is  to  aggravate  the  evils  of  hostilities,  without  essentially 
conducing  to  bring  them  to  a  termination. 


;  1 


84 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1778. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Alliance  with  France New  frigates Seizure  of  New  Providence  by  Capt.  Ruth- 

bume Capture  of  the  Alfred Loss  of  the  Virginia,  Capt.  NicholBon,  on  a  bar  in 

the  Delaware....American  vessels  destroyed  on  the  Delaware....John  PaulJoncscom- 
mands  the  Ranger attempt  to  capture  the  Drake to  bum  the  colliers  at  White- 
haven    to  seize  the  Earl  of  Selkirk his  conduct  to  Ladv  Selkirk aclwn  with, 

*  and  capture  of  the  Drake The  Pigot  cut  out  by  Major  Talbot.„..The  private  armed 

ship  Thorn  Capt.  Waters,  engages  the  Governor  Tryon  and  the  Sir  VV  iJliam  firskinc, 

and  captures  the  latter Capture  of  the  Sparlin Capt.  John  Barry,  captures  a  British 

schooner  and  four  tran8ports....his  appointment  to  Uio  Raleigh  and  action  with  iho 
Experiment  and  Unicom Loss  of  the  Raleigh. 

The  year  1778  opened  with  cheerful  prospects  for  the  ^reat  cause 
of  American  Independence;  the  capture  of  Burgoy>r  ,  and  the 
growing  discontents  in  Europe,  rendering  a  French  aMiaii^  •:,  and  a  Eu- 
ropean war,  daily  more  probable.  These  events,  in  truth,  soon  after 
followed,  and  from  that  moment,  the  entire  policy  of  the  United 
States,  as  related  to  its  marine,  was  changed.  Previously  to  this 
great  event.  Congress  had  often  turned  its  attention  towards  the  ne- 
cessity of  building  or  purchasing  vesse<s  of  force,  in  order  to  inter- 
rupt that  absolute  control  which  the  enemy  possessed,  in  the  imme- 
diate waters  of  the  country,  and  which  even  superseded  the  necessity 
of  ordinary  blockades,  as  two  or  three  heavy  fri  54 ates  had  been  able, 
at  any  time,  since  the  commencement  of  the  straggle,  to  command 
the  entrance  of  the  different  bays  and  sounds. 

The  French  fleet,  soon  after  the  war  between  England  and  France 
broke  out,  appeared  in  the  American  seas,  and,  in  a  measure,  re- 
lieved the  country  from  a  species  of  warfare  that  was  particularly 
oppressive  to  a  nation  that  was  then  so  poor,  and  which  possessed  so 
great  an  extent  of  coast. 

As  the  occupation  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  prevented  sev- 
eral of  the  new  frigates  from  getting  to  sea  at  all,  or  occasioned  their 
early  loss,  Congress  had  endeavoured  to  repair  these  deficiencies  by 
causing  other  vessels  to  be  built,  or  purchased,  at  points  where  they 
would  be  out  of  danger  from  any  similar  misfortunes.     Among  these 
ships  were  the  Alliance  32,  Confederacy  32,  Deanc  32,  (afterwards 
called  the  Hague,)  and  Queen  of  France  28,  all  frigate-built,  and  the 
Ranger,  Gates,  and  Saratoga  sloops  of  war.     To  these  were  added 
a  few  other  vessels,  that  were  either  bought,  or  borrowed  in  Europe, 
which  will  be  mentioned  in  their  proper  places.     The  Alliance, 
which,  as  her  name  indicates,  was  launched  about  the  time  the  treaty 
was  made  with  France,  was  the  favourite  sliip  of  the  American 
navy,  and  it  might  be  added  of  the  American  nation,  during  the  war 
of  the  Revolution  ;  filling  some  such  space  in  the  public  mind,  a{» 
has  since  been  occupied  by  her  more  celebrated  successor,  the  Con- 
stitution.    She  was  a  beautiful  and  an  exceedingly  fast  ship,  bnl,  as 
.vill  be  seen  in  the  sequel,  was  rendered  less  efficient  than  she  might 
otherwise  have  proved,  by  the  mistake  of  placing  her  tnidi-r  the 
command  of  a  French  officer,  with  a  view  to  pay  a  compliment  to 


■    ft 


1778.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


85 


the  new  allies  of  the  republic,     'a  his  unfortunate  selection  produced 
mutinies,  much  discontent  amoni^  the  officers,  and,  in  the  end,  (;rave 
irregularities.     The  Alliance  was  built  at  Salisbury,  in  Massachusetts 
a  place  that  figured  as  a  building  station,   even  in  the  seventeenth 
century. 

The  naval  operations  of  the  year  open  with  a  gallant  little  exploit, 
achieved  by  the  United  States  sloop  Providence  12,  Captain  Rath- 
burne.  This  vessel  carried  only  four  pounders,  and,  at  the  time,  is 
said  to  have  had  a  crew  of  but  fifty  men  on  board.  Notwithstand- 
ing this  trifling  force.  Captain  Rathburne  made  a  descent  on  the 
Island  of  New  Providence,  at  the  head  of  twenty-five  men.  He  was 
joined  by  a  few  American  prisoners,  less  than  thirty,  it  is  said,  and, 
while  a  privateer  of  sixteen  guns,  with  a  crew  of  near  fifty  men,  lay 
in  the  harbour,  he  seized  the  forts,  got  possession  of  the  stores,  and 
effectually  obtained  command  of  the  place.  All  the  vessels  in  port, 
six  in  number,  fell  into  his  hands,  and  an  attempt  of  the  armed  pop- 
ulation to  overpower  him,  was  put  down,  by  a  menace  to  burn  the 
town.  A  British  sloop  of  war  appeared  off  the  harbour,  while  the 
Americans  were  in  possession,  b«it,  ascertaining  that  an  enemy  was 
occupying  the  works,  she  retired,  after  having  been  fired  on.  The 
following  day,  the  people  assembled  in  such  force,  as  seriously  to 
threaten  the  safety  of  his  party  and  vessel,  and  Captain  Rathburne 
caused  the  guns  of  the  fort  to  be  spiked,  removed  all  the  ammunition 
and  small  arms,  burned  two  of  his  prizes,  and  sailed  with  the  re- 
mainder, without  leaving  a  man  behind  him.  In  this  daring  little 
enterprise,  the  Americans  held  the  place  two  entire  days. 

Captain  John  Barry,  whose  spirited  action  off  the  capes  of  Vir- 
ginia, in  the  Lexington  14,  has  been  mentioned,  and  whose  capture 
of  the  Edward,  on  that  occasion,  is  worthy  of  note,  as  having  been 
the  first  of  any  vessel  of  war,  that  was  ever  made  by  a  regular  Amer- 
ican cruiser  in  battle,  was  placed  on  the  regulated  list  of  October, 
1776,  as  the  seventh  captain,  and  appointed  to  the  command  of  the 
Efiingliam  28,  then  building  at  Philadelphia,     The  Efl[ingham  was 
one  of  tlie  vessels  that  had  been  taken  up  the  Delaware,  to  escape 
from  the  British  army  ;  and  this  gallant  oflftcer,  wearied  with  a  life 
of  inactivity,  planned  an  expedition  down  the  stream,  in  the  hope  of 
striking  a  blow  at  some  of  the  enemy's  vessels  anchored  off,  or  below 
the  town.     Manning  four  boats,  he  pulled  down  with  the  tide.     Some 
alarm  was  given  when  opposite  the  town,  but  dashing  ahead,  two  of 
the  barges  got  past  without  injury.     Off  Port  Penn  lay  an  enemy's 
schooner  of  ten  guns,  and  thirty  two  men,  and  four  transports,  with 
freight  for  the  British  army.     The  schooner  was  boarded  and  carried, 
without  loss,  and  the  transports  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans 
also.     Two  cruisers  appearing  soon  after  in  the  river,  however,  Cap- 
tain Barry  destroyed  his  prizes,  and  escaped  by  land,  without  losing 
a  man.     On  this  occasion,  the  force  actually  present  with  Barry  con- 
sisted of  only  twenty  eight  men. 

Following  the  order  of  time,  we  now  return  to  the  movements  of 
the  two  ships  under  the  command  of  Captain  Thonjpson,  the  Raleigh 
and  the  Alfred.     After  taking  in  military  stores  in  France,  these 


1 


86 


NAVAL  1'  STORY. 


[1778. 


vessels  sailed  for  America,  making  a  circuii  to  the  southward,  as 
was  then  quite  usual  with  cruisers  thus  empK^/t  d,  in  order  to  avoid 
the  enemy's  vessels  of  force,  and  to  pick  up  a  few  prizes  by  tlie  way. 
They  sailed  from  I'Orient  in  February,  1778,  and  on  the  Otii  of 
March,  were  chased  by  the  British  ships  Ariadne  and  Ceres,  which 
succeeded  in  getting  alongside  of  the   Alfred,  and  engaging  her, 
while  the  Raleigh  was  at  a  distance.     Believing  a  contest  fruitless, 
after  exchanging  a  few  broadsides,  the  Alfred  struck,  but  the  RaLigh, 
though  hard  pressed,  in  the  chase  that  succeeded,  made  her  esca|)e. 
Captain  Thompson  was  blamed  in  the  journals  of  the  day,  for  not 
aiding  his  consort  on  this  occasion  ;  and  he  appears  to  have  been 
superseded  in  the  command  of  his  ship,  to  await  tlie  result  of  u  trial. 
The  British  accounts  state  the  force  of  the  Alfred,  at  the  time  of 
her  capture,  at  twenty  nine-pounders,  which  will  give  us  a  more  ac- 
curate idea  of  the  real  character  of  a  vessel  that  filled  so  prominent 
a  situation  in  the  navy,  at  its  formation.     Twenty  nine-pounders, 
would  not  probably  raise  her  above  the  rate  of  an  English  twenty 
gun  ship,  even  allowing  her  to  have  had  a  few  sixes  on  her  quarter- 
deck and  forecastle  ;  and  this,  probably,  v/as  the  true  class  of  botli 
the  Alfred  and  Columbus,  ships  that  figure  as  twenty-eights,  and 
even  as  thirty-twos,  in  some  of  the  earlier   accounts  of  the  war. 
But,  it  should  always  be  remembered,  that  a  disposition  to  exuirger- 
ate  the  power  of  the  country,  by  magnifying  the  force  of  the  ships, 
a  practice  peculiar  to  an  infant  and  aspiring  people,  was  a  f  lult  of 
the  popular  accounts  of  not  only  the  Revolution,  but  of  a  still  later 
period  in  the  history  of  the  United  States. 

Among  the  frigates  ordered  by  the  act  of  1775,  was  one  called  the 
Virginia  28,  which  had  been  laid  down  in  Maryland.  To  this  ves- 
sel was  assigned  Captain  James  Nicholson,  the  senior  captain  on  the 
list,  an  officer  wiio  had  already  discovered  conduct  and  s})irit  in  an 
aftair  with  one  of  the  enemy's  tenders  off  Annapolis,  while  servinc 
in  the  local  marine  of  Maryland.  The  great  embarrassments  wliich 
attended  most  of  the  public  measures  of  the  day,  and  a  vigilant 
blockade,  prevented  tlie  Virginia  from  getting  to  sea,  until  the  sprins 
•f  this  year,  when  having  received  her  crew  and  equipments,  she 
wade  the  attemj)t  on  the  30th  of  March. 

The  frigate  appears  to  have  followed  another  vessel  down  the 
Chesapeake,  under  the  impression  that  the  best  pilot  of  the  bay  was 
ill  charge  of  her.  About  three  in  tlu  orning,  however,  she  struck 
on  the  middle  grotind,  over  which  she  i  at  witli  the  loss  of  her  rud- 
der. The  ship  was  immediately  anchored.  Day  discovered  two 
English  ve^^sels  r*  war  at  no  great  (hstance,  when  Captain  Nichol- 
son got  ashore  with  feis  papers,  and  the  ship,  was  taken  possession  of 
by  the  enemy.  Aa  imqiiiry,  instituted  by  Congress,  acquitted  Captain 
Nicholson  of  blame.  The  peculiarity  of  a  commander's  nbatidoning 
his  vessel  under  sueh  eircumstanc(!i«,  gave  rise  to  some  comments  at 
the  time,  but  the  result  renders  it  pn>hal)le  that  considerations  of  im- 
portance, that  were  not  generally  known,  induced  the  step.  A  trial 
was  not  deemed  necessary,  and  Captain  Nicholson  subsequeutlv 


1 

V 


1778.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


87 


^ 


fou<rht  two  of  the  mof '  rointirkuble  combats  of  the  war,  though  .-   c- 
ccssful  ill  neither. 

IJiit  merit  iawarfarc  is  not  always  to  be  measured  by  success,  and 
least  of  all,  iu  a  profession  that  is  liable  to  so  many  accidents  and 
circumstances  th;^-  lie  beyond  the  control  of  man.  An  unexpected 
shift  of  wind,  the  sudden  loss  of  an  intportant  spar,  or  the  unfortu- 
nate injury  occasioned  by  a  sinjrle  shot,  nuiy  derange  the  best  devis- 
ed schemes,  orenfeeble  the  best  appointed  ship;  and  it  is  in  repairing 
these  unexpected  damaj^es,  in  the  steadiness,  and  order,  and  sub- 
mission to  authority,  with  which  casualties  are  met,  as  well  as  in  the 
jC,"  1  r.'er  elfect  of  tiie'r  attack,  that  the  trained  officers  and  men  nutni- 
fesl  'leir  vast  superiority  over  the  hurried  and  confused  movements 
of  those  who  are  wantin'jf  in  these  high  qualities  of  discipline. 

Leaving  the  ocean  for  a  moment,  we  will  now  turn  our  attention 
to  the  proceedings  o(  the  enemy  again,  in  the  Delaware.     Early  in 
May,  an  expedition  left  Philadelphia,  under  the  command  of  Major 
Maitland,  and  ascended  that  river  with  a  view  to  destroy  the  Ameri- 
can shipping,  whicli  n  -.1  been  carried  up  it  to  escape  the  invading  and 
successful  army  of  the  enemy.     The  force  consisted  of  the  schooners 
Viper  and  Pembroke ;  the  Hussar,  Cornwallis,  Ferret,  and  Phila- 
delphia ga"cyj      four  gun-boats,  and  eighteen  flat-boats,  under  the 
orders  of  Captain  Henry  of  the  navy.     The  2d  battalion  of  the  light- 
infantry,  and  two  .leld  ])iecps  composed  the  troops,     vlscending  the 
stream  to  a  ])oint  above  Bristol,  the  troops  landed,  under  cover  of  the 
guns  of  the  flotilla,  without  oi)position.     Indeed,  there  does  Jiot  ap- 
pear to  have'been  any  force  to  oppose  the  British  on  this  occasion,  or, 
if  any,  one  of  so  little  moment,  as  to  put  a  serious  contes!.  out  of  the 
question.     The  Washington  33,  and  Effingham  28,  both  of  which 
had  been  built  at  Philadelphia,  but  had  never  got  to  sea,  were  burned. 
These  shins  had  not  yet  received  their  armaments.     At  this  point 
several  other  vessels  were  destroyed,  privateers  and  merchantmen, 
and  the  party  proceeded   to  Croswise   Creek,  where   the  privateer 
Sturdy   Beggar  18,  and  eight  sail  of  other  vessels  were  set  on  fire 
and    consumed.      The  next   day  the   British    ascended  to  Bile's 
Island,  and  burnc  *  six  more  craft,  four  of  which  were  ])ierced  for 
guns.     On  desceiKiiig  by  land  to  Bristol,  a  ship  and  a  brig  were 
destroyed.     After  Miit,  ioJir  new  sliips,  a  new  brig,  and  an   old 
schooner  were  bui.ied  by  tbe  galleys,  the  party  returning  to  Phila- 
delphia that  night,  without  losing  a  man.     By  this  coup  dc  main,  the 
Americans  lost  two  more  of  Mie  frigates  authorised   by  the  law  of 
1775 ;  and  though  it  is  not  now  easy  to  ascertain  facts  so  minute,  it 
is  believed  that  tW)  or  three  of  fhe  smallest  of  the  cruisers  that  ap- 
pear on  the  list  of  tbe  navy,  at  its  formatior.  were  destroyed  by  the 
Enijlish  on  this  occuoion.     The  Hornet,  Sac  lem,  Independence,  and 
Musquito,  are  not  to  be  traced  subsequently  to  this  period,  and  if  not 
burned  when  this  expedition  occur'-ed,  it  is  probable  that  they  all 
were  burnt  with  the  Was)),  in  1777.     To  compensate  for  these  losses, 
not  a  single  frigate   jf*  the  enemy  had  yet  been  brought  into  port, 
thouirb  th(!  Fox  28,  had  been  captured. 

About  this  time  the  celebrated  Paul  Jones,  whose  coiiduct  as  a 


c   ; 


■1 


88 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1778. 


17 


lieutenant  in  the  Alfred,  nnil  in  the  comi  uui.  cf  that  ship,  as  well  as 
in  llmt  of  the  Providence  12,  had  attracted  uuieh  att«;iition,  appeared 
in  the  European  seas  in  command  of  the  Hanger  18.  So  cautioua 
had  the  American  jjovernnieiit  got  to  be,  in  consequence  of  the  B:  i^i.-h 
remonstrances,  that  orders  were  given  to  the  Ranger  to  conccii  !ier 
armament  while  in  France.  This  vessel,  which  is  described  a« 
having  been  both  crank  and  slow,  was  not  thought  worthy  of  so 
good  an  »)rticer,  by  the  Marine  Committee,  and  he  had  bi en  promised 
a  better  ship  ;  but  the  exigencies  of  the  sen  ..  did  not  admit  of  the 
fulfilment  of  this  engagement,  and  Captain  )  >  ..s,  after  a  long  delay, 
had  been  induced  to  take  this  command,  in  preference  to  remaining 
idle.  It  is  said,  however,  that  he  came  to  Europe  in  the  hope  of  ob- 
taining the  Indien,  but  that  vessel  had  been  presented  to  the  King  of 
France  previously  to  his  arrival. 

After  going  into  Brest  to  refit,  Captain  Jones  sailed  from  that  port 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1778,  on  a  cruise  in  the  Irish  Channel.  As 
the  Ranger  passed  al«)ng  the  const,  she  made  several  prizes,  and 
getting  as  high  as  Whitehaven,  Captain  Jones  determined,  on  the 
17th,  to  make  an  attempt  to  burn  the  colliers  that  were  crowded  In 
that  narrow  port.  The  weather,  however,  prevented  the  executi(ni 
of  this  project,  and  the  ship  proceeded  as  high  as  Glentinc  bay,  on  the 
coast  of  Scotland,  where  she  chased  a  revenue  vessel  without  sutcoss. 

Quitting  the  Scottish  coast,  the  Ranger  next  crossed  to  Ireland, 
and  arriving  off"  Carrickfergus,  she  was  boarded  by  some  fishermen. 
From  these  men  Captain  Jones  ascertained  that  a  ship  which  lay 
anchored  in  the  roads,  was  the  Drake  sloop  of  war.  Captain  Burden, 
a  vessel  of  a  force  about  equal  to  that  of  the  Ranger,  and  he  imme- 
diately conceived  a  plan  to  run  in  and  take  her.  Preparations  were 
accordingly  made  to  attempt  the  enterprise  as  soon  as  it  was  dark. 

It  blew  fresh  in  the  night,  but  when  the  proper  hour  had  arrived, 
the]l;w\;;er  stood  for  the  roads,  having  accurately  obtained  thebenr- 
imf<i  "f  t 'le  enemy.  The  orders  of  Captain  Jones  were  to  overlay 
^!''  c(ibi«  of  the  Drake,  and  to  bring  up  on  her  bows,  where  he  in- 
tended (0  secure  his  own  ship,  and  abide  the  result.  By  some  mis- 
take, the  anchor  was  not  let  go  in  season,  and  instead  of  fetching  up 
in  the  desired  position,  the  Ranger  could  not  be  checked  until  she 
had  drifted  on  the  quarter  of  the  Drake,  at  a  distance  of  half  a  cable's 
length.  Perceiving  that  bis  object  was  defeated,  Captain  Jones  or- 
dered the  cable  to  be  cut,  when  the  ship  drifted  astern,  and,  making 
sail,  she  hauled  by  the  wind  as  soon  as  possible.  The  gale  increas- 
ing, it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  the  Ranger  weathered  the  land, 
and  regained  the  channel. 

Captain  Jones  now  stood  over  to  the  English  coast,  and  believing 
the  time  more  favourable,  he  attempted  to  execute  his  former  design 
on  the  shipping  in  the  port  of  Whitehaven.  Two  parties  landed  in 
the  night ;  the  forts  were  seized  and  the  guns  Avere  spiked  ;  the  few 
look-outs  that  were  in  the  works  being  confined.  In  eff*ecting  this 
duty  Captain  Jones  was  foremost  in  person,  for,  having  once  soiled 
out  of  the  j)ort,  he  was  familiar  with  the  situation  of  the  place.  An 
accident  common  to  both  the  parties  into  wliich  the  expedition  had 


1778.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


89 


been  divided,  came  near  defeating  the  enterprise  in  the  outset.  They 
had  brought  candles  iu  lunterii»,  fur  the  double  purpose  of  lights  and 
torches,  and,  now  that  they  were  about  to  be  used  as  the  latter,  it  was 
found  that  they  were  all  consumed.  As  the  day  was  appiMirins;,  the 
party  under  Mr.  Wallingford,  one  of  the  lieutenunts,  took  to  its  bout 
without  eft'ecting  any  thing,  while  Captain  Jones  sent  to  a  detached 
building  and  obtained  a  candle.  He  boarded  a  large  ship,  kindled 
a  fire  in  her  steerage,  and  by  plucMiig  a  barn-i  of  tar  over  the  spot, 
soon  had  the  vessel  in  Humes.  The  tide  being  out,  this  ship  lay  in 
the  midst  of  mon  than  a  hundred  others,  high  and  dry,  and  Captain 
Jones  flattered  himself  with  the  hope  of  signally  revenging  the  dep- 
redations that  the  I'uemy  had  so  freely  committed  on  the  American 
coast.  But,  by  this  time,  the  alarm  was  eftectually  given,  and  the 
entire  population  appen     I  on  the  adjacent  high  ground,   or  were 


seen  rushing  in  num 
easily  driven  back 
time,  us  he  thought 
tain  Jones  took  to  li 
were  fired  on  the  reli. 


owards  the  shipping.  The  latter  were 
«r  of  force,  and  remaining  a  sufficie''> 
"«re  of  an  extensive  conflagration,  Cui- 
)ulled  towards  his  ship.  Some  guns 
A  ithout  effect ;  but  the  people  of  the 
place  succeeded  in  exuii^uiaimig  the  flames  before  the  mischief  be- 
came very  extensive. 

The  hardihood,  as  well  as  the  noture  of  this  attempt,  produced  a 
great  alarm  along  the  whole  English  coast,  and  from  that  hour,  even 
to  this,  the  name  of  Jones,  in  the  minds  of  the  people  of  Whiteha- 
ven, is  associated  with  audacity,  destruction,  and  danger. 

While  cruising,  with  the  utmost  boldness,  us  it  might  be  in  the  very 
heart  of  the  liritish  waters,  with  the  coasts  of  the  three  kingdoms 
frequently  in  view  at  the  same  moment.  Captain  Jones,  who  was  a 
native  of  the  country,  decided  to  make  an  attempt  to  seize  the  Earl 
of  Selkirk,  who  had  a  seat  on  St.  Mary's  Isle,  near  the  point  where 
the  Dee  flows  into  the  channel.  A  party  landed,  and  got  possession 
of  the  house,  but  its  master  was  absent.  The  officer  in  command  of 
the  boats  so  far  forgot  himself  as  to  bring  away  a  quantity  of  the 
family  plate,  although  no  other  injury  was  done,  or  any  insult  offered. 
This  plate,  the  value  of  which  did  not  exceed  a  hundred  pounds, 
was  subsequently  purchased  of  the  crew  by  Captain  Jones,  and  re- 
turned to  Lady  Selkirk,  with  a  letter  expressive  of  his  regrets  at  the 
occurrence. 

After  the  landing  mentioned,  the  Ranger  once  more  steered  towards 
Ireland,  Captain  Jones  still  keeping  in  view  his  design  on  the  Drake, 
and  arrived  off  Carrickfergus  again,  on  the  24th.  The  commander 
of  the  latter  ship,  sent  out  an  officer,  in  one  of  kis  boats,  to  ascertain 
the  character  of  the  stranger.  Bv  means  of  skilful  handling,  the 
Ranger  was  kept  end-on  to  the  boat,  and  as  the  officer  in  charge  of 
the  latter  could  merely  see  the  ship's  stern,  although  provided  with  a 
glass,  he  suffered  himself  to  be  decoyed  alongside,  and  was  taken. 
From  the  prisoners.  Captain  Jones  learned  that  intelligence  of  his 
descents  on  Whitehaven  and  St.  Mary's  Islr  had  reached  Belfast, 
and  that  the  people  of  the  Drake  had  weighed  the  anchor  h  had 
lost  in  his  attempt  on  that  ship. 


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IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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WltSTIR,  N.Y.  USIO 

(71«)  •73-4503 


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^%^^' 

^.V 


'^ 


90 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1778. 


[i' 


Under  these  circumstances,  Captain  Jones  believed  that  the  com- 
mander of  the  Drake  would  not  long  defer  coming  out  in  search  of 
his  boat ;  an  expectation  that  was  shortly  realised,  by  the  appearance 
of  the  English  ship  under  way.  The  Ranger  now  filled  and  stood 
off  the  land,  with  a  view  to  draw  her  enemy  more  into  the  channel, 
where  she  lay  to,  in  waiting  for  the  latter  to  come  on.  Several  small 
vessels  accompanied  the  Drake,  to  witness  the  combat,  and  many 
volunteers  had  gone  on  board  her,  to  assist  in  capturing  the  Ameri- 
can privateer,  as  it  was  the  fashion  of  the  day  to  term  the  vessels  of 
the  young  republic.  The  tide  being  unfovourable,  the  Drake  worked 
out  of  the  roads  slowly,  and  night  was  approaching  before  she  drew 
near  the  Ranger. 

The  Drake,  when  she  got  sufficiently  nigh,  hailed,  and  received 
the  name  of  her  antagonist,  by  way  of  challenge,  with  a  request  to 
come  on.  As  the  two  ships  were  standing  on,  the  Drake  a  little  to 
leeward  and  astern,  the  Ranger  put  lier  helm  up,  a  manoeuvre  that 
the  enemy  imitated,  and  the  former.gave  the  first  broadside,  firing  as 
her  guns  bore.  The  wind  admitted  of  btit  few  changes,  but  the 
battle  was  fought  running  free,  under  easy  canvass.  It  lasted  an 
hour  and  four  minutes,  when  the  Drake  called  for  quarter,  her  en- 
sign being  already  down. 

The  English  ship  was  much  cut  up,  both  in  her  hull  and  alofi;, 
and  Captain  Jones  computed  her  loss  at  about  forty  men.  Her  cap- 
tain and  lieutenant  were  both  desperately  wounded,  and  died  shortly 
after  the  engagement.  The  Ranger  suffered  much  less,  having 
Lieutenant  WaUingford  and  one  ma*^'  killed,  and  six  wounded.  The 
Drake  was  not  only  a  heavier  ship,  but  she  had  a  much  stronger 
crew  than  her  antagonist.     She  had  also  two  guns  the  most. 

After  securing  her  prize  and  repairing  damages,  the  Ranger  went 
round  the  north  of  Ireland,  and  shaped  her  course  for  Brest.  She 
was  chased  repeatedly,  but  arrived  safely  at  her  port  with  the  Drake, 
on  the  8th  of  May. 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  conduct  of  Captain  Jones  in 
turning  a  local  knowledge  acquired  in  the  manner  mentioned,  to 
such  an  account,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  course  pursued  by 
the  enemy  on  the  American  coast,  would  have  fully  justified  the 
course  he  took  in  any  other  officer  in  the  service  ;  and  it  is  due  to 
Captain  Jones,  to  say,  that  he  had,  personally,  been  so  much  vilified 
by  the  British  press,  as  quite  naturally  to  have  weakened  any  re- 
mains of  national  attachment  that  he  may  formerly  have  entertain- 
ed. The  natives  of  Great  Britain,  that  served  on  the  American 
side,  in  this  great  contest,  were  not  essentially  in  a  position  different 
from  tliat  of  those  who  had  been  born  in  the  colonies.  The  war,  in 
one  sense,  was  a  civil  war,  and  the  conduct  of  all  who  took  part  in 
it,  was  to  be  measured  by  the  merits  of  the  main  question.  The 
Englishman  actually  established  in  the  colonies,  when  the  struggle 
commenced,  was  essentially  in  the  situation  of  the  native  ;  and  it' the 
latter  had  a  moral  right  to  resist  the  encroachments  of  the  British 
Parliament,  it  was  a  right  that  extended  to  the  former,  since  ii  was 
not  a  question  of  birthplace  that  was  at  issue,  but  one  of  local  and 


1778.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


91 


territorial  interests.  By  transferring  himself  to  England,  the  native 
of  America  would  have  avoided  the  injuries,  and  shared  in  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  offensive  policy ;  and  by  transferring  himself  to 
America,  the  native  of  England  became  the  subject  of  its  wrongs. 
Both  steps  were  legal,  and  it  follows  as  a  legitimate  consequence, 
that  all  the  moral  as  well  as  legal  rights  dependent  on  their  exercise, 
were  carried  with  them. 

Mr.  Silas  Talbot,  of  Rhode  Island,  who  had  been  a  seaman  in  his 
youth,  had  taken  service  in  the  army,  and  October  10th,  1777,  he 
had  been  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  Major,  to  reward  him  for  a  spirited 
attempt  to  set  fire  to  one  of  the  enemy's  cruisers  in  the  Hudson.  In 
the  autumn  of  the  present  year  (1778),  Major  Talbot  headed  another 
expedition  against  the  British  schooner  Pigot,  8,  then  lying  in  the 
eastern  passage  between  Rhode  Island  and  the  main  land,  in  a  small 
sloop  that  had  two  light  guns,  and  which  was  manned  by  60.  volun- 
teers. The  Pigot  had  45  men,  and  one  heavy  gun  in  her  bows, 
besides  the  rest  of  her  armament.  Her  commander  showed  great 
bravery,  actually  fighting  alone  on  deck,  in  his  shirt,  when  every  man 
of  his  crew  had  run  below.  Major  Talbot  carried  the  schooner 
without  loss,  and  for  his  conduct  and  gallantry  was  promoted  to  be  a 
Lieutenant  Colonel.  The  following  year  this  officer  was  transferred 
to  the  navy.  Congress  passing  an  especial  resolution  to  that  effect, 
with  directions  to  the  Marine  Committee  to  give  him  a  ship  on  the 
first  occasion.  It  does  not  appear,  however,  that  it  was  in  the  power 
of  the  committee,  at  that  period  of  the  war,  to  appoint  Captain 
Talbot  to  a  government  vessel,  and  he  is  believed  to  have  served, 
subsequently,  in  a  private  armed  ship. 

It  has  already  been  intimated,  that  the  appearance  of  a  French 
fleet,  in  July,  1778,  off  Newport,  materially  changed  the  character 
of  the  war,  so  far  as  the  American  marine  was  concerned.  On  this 
occasion,  the  enemy  destroyed  the  following  ships  at,  or  near  New- 
port, to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  French,  viz:  the 
Juno,  32;  Orpheus,  32;  Cerberus,  32;  Lark,  32;  Flora,  32;  and 
Falcon,  18. 

It  will  give  some  idea  of  the  condition  of  the  American  marine  at 
this  time,  if  we  state  that  a  month  previously  to  the  arrival  of  the 
French,  the  following  vessels  were  lying  at  Boston.  They  appear 
to  have  composed  most  of  the  disposable  naval  f  )rce  of  the  United 
States,  in  the  American  seas,  viz:  Warren,  32,  Captain  John  Hop- 
kins; Raleigh,  32,  Captain  Thompson;  Deane,  (afterwards  Hague,) 
32,  Captain  S.  Nicholson ;  Tyrannicide,  14,  State  cruiser.  Captain 
Harding;  Independence,  14,  Captain  Hazard;  Sampson,  20;  Han- 
cock, 20,  (formerly  Weymouth,  a  packet ;)  and  Speedwell,  10.  The 
four  last  were  State  cruisers,  or  privateers.  Of  this  force,  Captain 
Thompson  was  the  senior  officer.  Several  private  armed  ships  were 
cruising  off  the  eastern  coast,  at  the  same  time,  among  which  was 
the  Mars,  24,  Captain  Truxtun. 

It  has  been  said  that  many  officers  of  the  navy,  previously  to  the 
period  of  the  war  fit  which  we  have  now  arrived,  had  been  compelled 
to  seek  service  in  the  privateers,  for  want  of  more  regular  employ- 


n 


!.  i 


mm 


92 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1778. 


I! 


ment,  and  among  others  was  Captain  Daniel  Waters.  "While  in 
command  of  the  private  armed  ship  Thorn,  16,  out  of  Boston,  Cap- 
tain Waters  engaged  the  letter  of  marque,  Governor  Tryon,  16, 
Captain  Stebbins,  and  the  Sir  William  Erskine,  18,  Captain  Ham- 
ilton,both  full  manned.  After  a  sharp  action  of  two  hours,  the  Tryon 
struck,  and  the  Erskine  made  sail  to  escape.  Instead  of  stopping 
to  take  possession  of  his  prize.  Captain  Waters  pursued  the  Erskine, 
and  getting  alongside,  compelled  her  also  to  surrender.  Throwing 
a  crew  on  board  this  ship,  the  two  vessels  now  went  in  quest  of  the 
Tryon,  which  had  profited  by  the  situation  of  the  Thorn,  to  endeavour 
to  escape.  Favoured  by  the  night,  this  vessel  succeeded  in  getting 
off,  and  the  next  day  the  Erskine  was  sent  into  port.  The  Thorn 
had  now  but  60  men  left,  and  in  a  few  days,  she  fell  in  with  the 
Sparlin,  18,  with  97  men,  which  she  succeeded  in  taking  after  a 
fight  of  near  an  hour.  The  Thorn,  and  both  her  prizes,  arrived 
safely  in  Boston. 

In  consequence  of  the  investigation  connected  with  the  loss  of  the 
Alfred,  Captain  Thompson  was  relieved  from  the  command  of  the 
Raleiufh  32,  as  has  been  said  already,  and  that  ship  was  given  to 
Captain  Barry.     Under  the  orders  of  this  new  commander,  the 
Raleigh  sailed  from  Boston  on  the  25th  of  September,  at  six  in  the 
morning,  having  a  brig  and  a  sloop  under  convoy.     The  wind  %vas 
fresh  at  N.  W.,  and  the  frigate  run  off'N.  E.     At  twelve,  two  strange 
sail  were  seen  to  leeward,  distant  fifteen  or  sixteen  miles.     Orders 
were  given  to  the  convoy  to  haul  nearer  to  the  wind,  and  to  crowd 
all  the  sail  it  could  carry,  the  strangers  in  chase.     After  dark  the 
Raleigh  lost  sight  of  the  enemy,  as  by  this  time  the  two  ships  were 
ascertained  to   be,  and  the  wind  became  light  and  variable.     The 
Raleigh  now  cleared  for  action,  and  kept  her  people  at  quarters  all 
night,  having  tacked  towards  the  land.     In  the  morning  it  proved 
to  be  hazy,  and  the  strangers  were   not  to  be   seen.     The  Raleigh 
was  still  standing  towards  the  land,  which  she  shortly  after  made 
ahead,  quite  near.     About  noon,  the  haze  clearing  av       be  enemy 
were  seen  in  the  southern  board,  and  to  windward,  c         ng  sail  in 
chase.     The  weather  became  thick  again,  and  the  Raleigh  lost  sight 
of  her  two  pursuers,  when  she  hauled  off" to  the  eastward.     That  night 
no  more  was  seen  of  the  enemy,  and  at  daylight  Captain  Barry  took 
in  every  thing,  with  a  view  to  conceal  the  position  of  the  ship,  which 
was  permitted  to  drift  under  bare  poles.     I'inding  nothing  visible  at 
6,  A.  M.,  the  Raleigh  crowded  sail  once  more,  and  stood  S.  E.  by  E. 
But  at  half  past  9,  the  two  ships  were  again  discovered  astern,  and  in 
chase.     The  Raleigh  now  hauled  close  upon  a  wind,  heading  N.  W., 
with  her  larboard  tacks  aboard.     The  enemy  also  came  to  the  wind, 
all  three  vessels  carrying  hard  with  a  staggering  breeze.     The  Ra- 
leigh now  fairly  outsailed  the  strangers,  running  11  knots  2  fathoms, 
on  a  dragged  bowline. 

Unfortunately,  at  noon  the  wind  moderated,  when  the  leading 
vessel  of  the  enemy  overhauled  the  Raleigh  quite  fast,  and  even  the 
ship  astern  held  way  with  her.  At  4,  P.  M.,  the  Raleigh  tacked  to 
the  westward,  with  a  view  to  discover  the  force  of  the  leadiiia:  vessel 


Ifi;; 


1778.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


93 


of  the  enemy,  and,  about  the  same  time  she  made  several  low  islands, 
the  names  of  which  were  not  known.    At  5,  P.  M.,  the  leading  ves- 
sel of  the  enemy  having  nearly  closed,  the  Raleigh  edged  away  and 
crossed  her  fore  foot,  braihng  her  mizzen,  and  taking  in  her  staysails. 
The  enemy  showed  a  battery  of  14  guns  of  a  side,  including  both 
decks,  and  set  St.  George's  ensign.    In  passing,  the  Raleigh  de- 
livered her  broadside,  which  was  returned,  when  the  stranger  came 
up  under  the  lee  quarter  of  the  American  ship,  and  the  action  became 
steady  and  general.     At  the  second  fire,  the  Raleigh  unfortunately 
lost  her  fore-topmast,  and  mizzen  top-gallant-mast,  which  gave  the 
enemy  a  vast  advantage  in  manoeuvring  throughout  the  remainder 
of  the  affair.     Finding  the  broadside  of  the  Raleigh  getting  to  be  too 
hot  for  him,  the  enemy  soon  shot  ahead,  and,  for  a  short  time,  while 
the  people  of  the  former  ship  were  clearing  the  wreck,  he  engaged 
to  windward,  and  at  a  distance.     Ere  long,  however,  the  English 
vessel  edged  away  and  attempted  to  rake  the  Raleigh,  when  Captain 
Barry  bore  up,  and  bringing  the  ships  alongside  €ach  other,  he  en- 
deavoured to  board,  a  step  that  the  other,  favoured  by  all  his  canvass, 
and  his  superiority  of  sailing  in  a  light  breeze,  easily  avoided.     By 
this  time,  the  second  ship  had  got  so  near  as  to  render  it  certain  she 
would  very  soon  close,  and,  escape  by  flight  being  out  of  the  ques- 
tion in  the  crippled  condition  of  the  ship.  Captain  Barry  called  a 
council  of  his  officers.     It  was  determined  to  make  an  attempt  to  run 
the  frigate  ashore,  the  land  being  then  within  a  few  miles.     The 
Raleigh  accordingly  wore  round,  and  stood  for  the  islands  already 
mentioned,  her  antagonist  sticking  to  her  in  the  most  gallant  manner, 
both  ships  maintaining  the  action  with  spirit.     About  midnight,  how- 
ever, the  enemy  hauled  off,  and  left  the  Raleigh  to  pursue  her  course 
towards  the  land.     The  engagement  had  lasted  seven  hours,  much 
of  the  time  in  close  action,  and  both  vessels  had  suffered  materially, 
the  Raleigh  in  particular,  in  her  spars,  rigging,  and  sails.     The 
darkness,  soon  after,  concealing  his  ship,  Captain  Barry  had  some 
hopes  of  getting  off  among  the  islands,  and  was  in  the  act  of  bending 
new  sails,  for  that  purpose,  when  the  enemy's  vessels  again  came  in 
sight,  closing  fast.     The  Raleigh  immediately  opened  a  brisk  fire 
from  her  stern  guns,  and  every  human  effort  was  made  to  force  the 
ship  towards  the  land.     The  enemy,  however,  easily  closed  again, 
and  opened  a  heavy  fire,  which  was  returned  by  the  Raleigh  until 
she  grounded,  when  the  largest  of  the  enemy's  ships  immediately 
hauled  off,  to  avoid  a  similar  calamity,  and,  gaining  a  safe  distance, 
both  vessels  continued  their  fire,  from  positions  they  had  taken  on 
the  Raleigh's  quarter.     Captain  Barry,  finding  that  the  island  was 
rocky,  and  that  it  might  be  defended,  determined  to  land,  and  to  burn 
his  ship ;  a  project  that  was  rendered  practicable  by  the  fact  that  the 
enemy  had  ceased  firing,  and  anchored  at  the  distance  of  about  a 
mile.     A  large  party  of  men  got  on  shore,  and  the  boats  were  about 
to  return  for  the  remainder,  when  it  was  discovered  that,  by  the 
treachery  of  a  petty  officer,  the  ship  hud  surrendered. 

The  officers  and  men  on  the  island  escaped,  but  the  ship  was  got 
off  and  placed  in  the  British  navy.     The  two  ships  that  took  the 


f   « 


94 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


Raleigh  were  the  Experiment  50,  Captain  Wallace,  and  the  Unicotn 
22.  The  latter  mounted  28  guns,  and  was  the  ship  that  engaged 
the  Raleigh  so  closely,  so  long,  and  so  obstinately.  She  was  much 
cut  up,  losing  her  masts  after  the  action,  and  had  10  men  killed, 
besides  many  wounded.  The  Americans  had  25  men  killed  and 
wounded,  in  the  course  of  the  whole  affair. 

Captain  Barry  gained  great  credit  for  his  gallantry  on  this  occa- 
sion. He  escaped  to  the  main  with  a  considerable  portion  of  his 
crew,  though  not  without  great  suffering,  and  a  new  ship  was  given 
to  him  on  the  first-opportunity.  Thri  island  on  which  he  first  landed, 
is  called  the  Wooden  Ball,  and  lies  about  twenty  miles  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Penobscot;  being  the  outermost  of  all  the  islands  and 
rocks  in  its  immediate  vicinity.  In  the  chase  the  Raleigh  shifted  her 
ground  about  two  degrees  to  the  northward,  and  about  one  to  the 
eastward. 

Thus  terminated  the  year  1778,  so  far  as  it  was  connected  with 
the  service  oftheYegular  marine,  though  like  all  that  had  preceded, 
or  which  followed  it,  in  this  war,  it  gave  rise  to  some  handsome  ex- 
ploits among  the  colony  cruisers  and  privateers,  some  of  which  there 
may  be  occasion  to  mention  in  a  chapter  that  will  be  devoted  to  that 
branch  of  the  subject. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  Alliance  sails  with  Lafayette  for  France....eonspiracy  on  board....Action  of  the 
Hampden  with  an  Indianian....Nine  British  vessels  captured,  and  twenty-four  British 
officers  made  prisoners,  by  Capt.  Hopkins.. ..Valuable  prizes  sent  into  Boston  by  Capt. 
Whipple.. ..The  Cumberland,  Capt.  Manly,  is  captured  by  the  Pomona  frigate....Capt. 
Monly  in  the  private  armed  ship  Jason,  engages  with,  and  captures  two  British  priva- 
teers....Descnption  of  the  Bon  Homme  Richard....Captare  of  a  letter  of  marque,  by  Paul 
Jones....Di9obedience  of  orders,  by  Capt.  Landais  of  the  Alliance.. ..Capt  Lawrence 
takes  command  of  the  Chesapeake.. ..Action  of  the  Bon  Homme  Richard  with,  and 
capture  of  the  Serapis.-.Capt.  Landais  fires  into  the  Richard... .she  sinks. 

The  year  1779  opened  with  the  departure  of  the  Alliance,  32,  for 
France.  It  has  already  been  stated  that  the  command  of  this  ship 
had  been  given  to  a  Captain  Landais,  who  was  said  to  be  a  French 
oflScer  of  gallantry  and  merit.  Unfortunately  the  prejudices  of  the 
seamen  did  not  answer  to  the  complaisance  of  the  Marine  Committee 
in  this  respect,  and  it  was  found  difficult  to  obtain  a  crew  willing  to 
enlist  under  a  French  captain.  W^hen  General  Lafayette,  after  a 
detention  of  several  months  on  the  road,  in  consequence  of  severe 
illness,  reached  Boston  near  the  close  of  1778,  in  order  to  embark  in 
the  Alliance,  it  was  found  that  the  frigate  was  not  yet  manned.  De- 
sirous of  rendering  themselves  useful  to  their  illustrious  guest,  the 
government  of  Massachusetts  offered  to  complete  the  ship's  comple- 
ment by  impressment,  an  expedient  that  had  been  adopted  on  more 
than  one  occasion  during  the  war  ;  but  the  just-minded  and  benevo- 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


95 


lent  Lafayette  would  not  consent  to  the  measure.    Anxious  to  sail, 
however,  for  he  was  entrusted  with  important  interests,  recourse  was 
had  to  a  plan  to  man  the  ship,  which,  if  less  objectionable  on  the 
score  of  principle,  was  scarcely  less  so  in  every  other  point  of  view. 
The  Somerset  64,  had  been  wrecked  on  the  coast  of  New  Eng- 
land, and  part  of  her  crew  had  found  their  way  to  Boston.     By  ac- 
cepting the  proffered  services  of  these  men,  those  of  some  volunteers 
from  among  the  prisoners,  and  those  of  a  few  French  seamen  that 
were  also  found  in  Boston  after  the  departure  of  their  fleet,  a  motley 
number  was  raised  in  sufficient  time  to  enable  the  ship  to  sail  on  the 
11th  of  January.     With  this  incomplete  and  mixed  crew,  Lafayette 
trusted  himself  on  the  ocean,  and  the  result  was  near  justifying  the 
worst  forebodings  that  so  ill-advised  a  measure  could  have  suggested. 
After  a  tempestuous  passage,  the  Alliance  got  within  two  day's 
run  of  the  English  coast,  when  her  officers  and  passengers,  of  the 
latter  of  whom  there  were  many  besides  General  Lafayette  and  his  suite, 
received  the  startling  information  that  n  conspiracy  existed  among 
the  English  portion  of  the  crew,  some  seventy  or  eighty  men  in  all, 
to  kill  the  officers,  seize  the  vessel,  and  carry  the  frigate  into  Eng- 
land.    With  a  view  to  encourage  such  acts  of  mutiny,  the  British 
Parliament  had  passed  a  law  to  reward  all  those  crews  that  should 
run  away  with  American  ships  ;  and  this  temptation  was  too  strong 
for  men  whose  service,  however  voluntary  it  might  be  in  appear- 
ances, was  probably  reluctant,  and  which  had  been  compelled  by 
circumstances,  if  not  by  direct  coercion. 

The  intentions  of  the  mutineers  appear  to  have  been  of  the  m«st 
ruthless  and  bloodthirsty  character.  By  the  original  plan,  the  cry  of 
"  Sail  ho !"  was  to  be  raised  about  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the 
2d  of  February,  when,  as  it  was  known  that  the  officers  and  passen- 
gers would  immediately  appear  on  the  quarter-deck,  the  attempt  was 
to  commence  by  seizing  them  in  a  body.  The  mutineers  were 
divided  into  four  parties,  of  which  one  was  to  get  possession  of  the 
magazine,  the  second  of  the  wardroom,  the  third  of  the  cabin,  and 
the  fourth  of  the  upper-deck  aft.  In  the  event  of  resistance  by  the 
officers  at  the  latter  point,  the  four  nine  pound  guns  on  the  forecastle 
were  to  be  pointed  aft,  and  to  sweep  the  quarter-deck.  With  this 
view,  a  gunner's  mate,  who  was  a  ringleader,  had  privately  put  into 
the  guns  charges  of  canister-shot.  Some  fire-arms  had  also  been 
secretly  obtained  by  a  sergeant  of  marines,  who  belonged  to  the 
mutiny. 

On  the  night  of  the  1st  of  February,  the  execution  of  this  plot 
was  postponed  until  four  o'clock  of  the  afternoon  of  the  2d,  instead 
of  taking  place  at  the  hour  of  daylight,  as  had  been  previously  ar- 
ranged. Captain  Landais,  who  was  exceedingly  offensive  to  the 
conspirators,  was  to  be  put  into  a  bqat,  without  food,  water,  oars  or 
sails,  heavily  ironed,  and  to  be  turned  loose  on  the  ocean.  The  gun- 
ner, carpenter,  and  boatswain  were  to  have  been  killed  on  the  spot. 
The  marine  officer  and  surgeon  were  to  have  been  hanged,  quartered, 
and  their  bodies  cast  into  the  sea.  The  sailing-master  was  to  have 
been  seized  up  to  the  mizen-mast,  scarified,  cut  into  morsels  and 


I'     : 


96 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


i 


M:i 


thrown  overboard.  To  each  of  the  lieutenants  was  to  have  been 
offered  the  option  of  navigating  the  ship  into  the  nearest  British  port, 
or  of  walking  a  plank.  The  passengers  were  to  have  been  confined, 
and  given  up  as  prisoners,  in  England.  With  these  fell  intentions 
in  their  hearts,  the  conspirators  fortunately  decided  to  defer  the  exe- 
cution of  their  plot  until  the  hour  just  named. 

Among  the  crew  of  the  Alliance,  was  a  seaman  of  more  than  usual 
knowledge  of  his  callin":,  and  of  great  decency  of  exterior.  By  his 
accent,  this  man,  thouijh  regularly  entered  as  a  volunteer  and  an 
American,  was  supposed  to  be  an  Irishman,  and  the  mutineers  were 
desirous  of  obtaining  his  assistance,  under  the  impression  that  he 
might  direct  them,  and  take  efficient  charge  of  the  ship  to  prevent 
the  lieutenants  from  deceiving  them  as  to  their  position,  should  the 
latter  consent  to  navigate  her  into  England.  To  this  person,  then, 
in  the  course  of  the  morning  of  the  very  day  set  for  the  execution 
of  their  murderous  plan,  the  mutineers  revealed  their  conspiracy, 
inviting  him  to  take  a  conspicuous  part  in  it.  The  seaman  was  in 
fact  an  American,  who  had  lived  a  long  time  in  Ireland,  where  he 
had  acquired  the  accent  of  the  nation,  but  where  he  had  lost  none 
of  the  feelings  of  country  and  kindred.  Affecting  to  listen  to  the 
proposition  with  favour,  he  got  most  of  their  secrets  out  of  the 
mutineers,  using  the  utmost  prudence  and  judgment  in  all  his  pro- 
ceedings.  It  was  near  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  before  this 
new  ringleader  could  manage  to  get  into  the  cabin  unseen,  where  he 
made  Captain  Landais  and  General  Lafayette  acquainted  with  all  he 
knew.  Not  a  moment  was  to  be  lost. '  The  officers  and  other  pas- 
sengers were  apprised  of  what  was  going  on,  such  men  as  could  cer- 
tainly be  relied  on  were  put  on  their  guard,  and  a  few  minutes  before 
the  time  set  for  the  signal  to  be  given,  the  gentlemen  rushed  in  a  body 
on  deck,  with  drawn  swords,  where  the  American  and  French  sea- 
men joined  them,  armed.  The  leading  mutineers  were  instantly 
seized.  Between  thirty  and  forty  of  the  English  were  put  in  irons, 
it  being  thought  impolitic  to  arrest  any  more,  for  at  this  inopportune 
moment  a  large  vessel  hove  in  sight,  and  was  soon  made  out  to  be 
an  enemy's  twenty  gun  ship. 

As  is  usual  in  such  cases,  some  of  the  ringleaders  betrayed  their 
companions,  on  a  promise  of  pardon,  when  all  the  previous  arrange- 
ments were  revealed.  Believing  the  moment  unfavourable  to  engage 
even  an  inferior  force.  Captain  Landais,  after  a  little  manoeuvring 
permitted  the  ship  in  sight  to  escape.  On  the  6th  of  February,  the 
Alliance  arrived  safely  at  Brest. 

This  is  the  only  instance  that  has  ever  transpired,  of  a  plan  to 
make  a  serious  mutiny  under  the  flag  of  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica.* A  few  cases  of  momentary  revolts  have  occurred,  which 
principally  arose  from  a  defective  mode  of  enlistment,  and  in  all  of 
which  the  authority  of  the  officers  have  prevailed,  after  short  and 
insignificant  contests.  It  may  be  added,  as  a  just  source  of  national 
pride,  that,  in  nearly  every  emergency,  whether  on  board  ships  of 
war,  or  on  board  of  merchant  vessels,  the  native  American  has  been 

•  Engligh  prisoners  who  had  enlisted  in  the  navy,  were  frequently  troublesome,  but 
no  other  direct  mutiny  was  plotted. 


I 


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yiai  •,   tli.ia  h.n*!  Im-cj,  ntaki  ti  h-, 
.1 


"I  .11  iiu;  niiruiiuio   ,aptut.»I  vo.->t  I,  m  ('lin;,i<Mr.|i..)ii 

,  jir'i.IiMii,  olis(,-vin«:,  Iwinly,  :»i,.!  li.,I,I,  the   Nu,  -rif  .wi  ^'  ainaii  is 

..    "il.'N  nach  lo  li.v.ai  i,.  n.tMin,  and  tud.  ilr  to  U»<  ri^lit ;  tniil.-s  tliut 

ri<.'«i   hin,  pcrliap-.  (In;  nio-t  •Milrrl'v   -.id  Hul>inis.-*iv<'  of  al!  iiuiriiH-rH, 

v'..,    pr.>p.'!!,   niid   ifoillv  rniniuaa<i(M.   and    iIh-    nm^t   dajiu<r  aih 


aci.  Ill  oc   asUviiMi-..  ;  lor  l:i.ii  tu    Ih.-u  dfvp,.-  ,     i  .(d.-.  in;.  Mi^on   i-, 
.'id     pirit. 

Oil  rcrti'lu.      '■ 
md.  ." 


<«.!(;Mai;  - 


'  •       ■  ...  ■  ^'      r»»  i<  Ji  li.I. 

.'     •  :■     -'f  <*  <.j  .  vvjiIkhiI 

•     •'       .ii'.i^  •  ra  .   )ii  piM-Ueiilur. 

•    ;;         ■ 'h!  ■  ■•    <  V    -ulij  M'r.  r  l.'v^'il  a  dii' ,    ft 

>  ■;.    .,  ■*'    -.'  ,.   i\    .1 

**'     •  ''  ''  •     •  ''   '••■»«•.    d.,^.*,..    .     .       ..t   u^'i  yi^iii    ITV,*,  o..-.(iiiY.'d 

•   ir,.M,>i.  I   ,  :.  ,t  .Jup  tlv  ■  » -i;-  !  ...|t  >.f  Ma.v-Mdiu.Hetr-,  diumd; 

»■''''''"'''      •'      fiti'  la/itr.t.     Till.' H;im|)d».  u  •A.;>  (■.n:i*ii)t;in  flifj 

''•'''■.'■*'    '        '<   ''.;• '-"^   •  «Ih?ji  ^h'•  mii.!«'  a  >;r.(it;;e  .•«ail  to  wiiid- 

■     '"'*        ^  -      •■''    i«    •■•'  •    Ii'    '.II'  '.va-i  in  i'«.'ai,.aMy  Mitlitlic  Ilarnpdt'ii, 

"   ' ''    >!     ■''■    '      ■'    dr   I..1  .  r,    !  ir  ilif  t'-frmt'r  to  join.      Xijdit 

-    •         ••.•«;.'.:  •  ^»>cl>    taiuj-^.tial,  whci  (lie  iraiiipil,  M 

•    -'d  loM  ii,,      :.->.■».;       ;i',.af,       \*  .i.i-  !iyliC.tiu:Ainon- .;u   .i  !  ;lu> 

.'    ■'     '  '  .  aa  ■'i.til  ap.t.'l,  \\ii»ai    fho  liiiMi''!   i-iuMdrd 

I,   ukI   -■     'w  !>  .     •;        ,11.     :i;r.  di'iwiii;.'  up  uiuU'rti:.'  i(«;  quarter 

'•''"d<j-._      .•■!.,■      .f,     »d»'  ;         I'u'  !  Ihi..i  iHor.U'if'.  till- sfrdiiiri-r 

<  '  •■    ■''   '"t  ■  1  .■   a      .    Im.'  l|.-  's.u  .>li,>\\a)d  liiirti'f  r  ot'  a  ^ld»  , 

••'d.|i..M  ■  I      .    ......1     pvT.aavid  <»ii  )ii);ird  i!i«»   Slnirip 

.V''    •     ''    .  -''ap  .It"  ••  r.irco  ;da>o-,  ;l),^j.  saprnor 


' ; . '  1 1  '.< :•  % 


••'•n- ■i\^i<       •^•.  ;•.',    ■   'li  ■    '.ii.;  miuht  ho  hn.lly    inunnr.u,  and 

■    i:.  ■  iitif  ij.j  ii'   -.  ''..  i<.,vv    i:  t inmt'nci'u.iail  (>!  the  li.t;lit,  thi' 

.'iOiuaiuii  1  oi  'lu'  'I  -n  ^>  >f  'J  .i.iiTiuihtal  t<»  ta.atimi.»  tin    tction.       \ 

•at.  .•ilt;-a_'t«!ni  lir  )'    •  •  ,    i;  !ast«-d  ' '•  •  i'  hoiU'.-,  wirlim  [tistol  .shot, 

■*••''■  '        llaii!',  .!.  u  .V  ■  .•■.ptditvl  ti»  haul  oii',  hoiii-r  in  nioiniit  uy 

■  tj^.a.ji  lo-..'       ■.  .  •  » .►  Vh.'.  \i"f  iv  an  i,i»l  ;i  Capt-dii  !*ir!<orii';,; 

...ill!,. — Imi  ivl'     >•  ,   miM-if  oHifi  r,   fr  her  rormf  ii<!aa-. 

h"' ."  -Mt  !ipp;a;-,- -   -  ^•^<•.t■u        Ml  ki'ird  aid  \V'M:iia   ■■■       "il--* 

VOL.   I.  7 


\„^yp.-v «», 


■i" 

f,  1 


!  i 


|;«J^ 


■     ^        /<'^/,- 


'•■■-.  '/^^vv  ^-^mr./ 


•  *    f 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


97 


found  triif)  to  the  obligntioiiH  of  nociotv;  and  it  is  a  sin^^uliir  proof 
of  hiM  dispoHitioii  to  8ul)init  to  legal  autliority,  however  oppressive  or 
uiijiiHt  may  In;  its  optTutioii  in  Iim  purtiuular  cuMe,  tbat  in  many  knuwa 
iiirttunces  in  uliirli  Ija^lish  stamen  have  revult(!(l  ugainHt  their  own 
officers,  and  in  their  own  inivy,  the  impressed  and  injured  American 
has  preferred  order,  and  submission  to  even  the  implied  oliligutioni 
of  a  compelled  service,  to  rushing  into  the  dangers  of  revolt  and  dis- 
obedience. In  opposition  to  this  respectable  characteristic,  may  bo 
put  in  high  relief,  the  well  ascertained  fact,  that  when  letl  in  captur- 
ed vessels,  or  placed  in  situations  where  the  usages  of  mankind  tol* 
orate  resistance,  these  very  men  have  required  us  vigilant  watching 
as  any  others ;  it  being  probable  that  more  American  ships  have 
been  retaken  from  their  prize  crews  by  American  seamen  left  on 
board  them,  within  the  last  sixty  years,  than  have  been  retaken  by 
the  seamen  of  all  the  remaining  captured  vessels  in  Christendom. 
Quiet,  prudent,  observing,  hardy,  and  bold,  the  American  seaman  is 
usually  ready  to  listen  to  reason,  and  to  defer  to  the  right ;  traits  that 
make  him  perhaps  the  most  orderly  and  submissive  of  all  mariners, 
when  properly  and  legally  commanded,  and  the  most  dangerous 
when  an  occasion  arises  for  him  to  show  his  prompitudc,  intelligence, 
and  spirit. 

On  reaching  Brest,  the  mutineers  were  placed  in  a  French  gaol, 
and,  after  some  delay,  were  exchanged  us  prisoners  of  war,  without 
any  other  punishment ;  the  noble-minded  Lafayette,  in  particular, 
feeling  averse  to  treating  foreigners  as  it  would  have  been  a  duty  to 
treat  natives  under  similar  circumstances. 

We  shall  now  revert  to  the  more  regular  warfare  of  the  period  at 
which  we  have  arrived. 

One  of  the  first  nautical  engagements  of  the  year  1779,  occurred 
to  the  Hampden  22,  a  ship  that  sailed  out  of  Massachusetts,  though 
it  is  believed  on  jnivate  account.  The  Huinpden  was  cruising  in  the 
Atlantic,  lat.  47^,  long.  28^,  when  she  made  a  strange  sail  to  wind- 
ward. A  small  armed  schooner  was  in  company  with  the  Hampden, 
and  a  signal  was  made  by  the  latter,  for  the  former  to  join.  Night 
coming  on,  however,  the  two  vessels  separated,  when  the  Hampden 
stood  towards  the  stranger  alotie.  At  daylight,  the  American  and  the 
Englishman  were  a  long  gun-shot  apart,  when  the  former  crowded 
sail,  and  at  seven  in  the  morning,  drawing  up  under  the  lee  quarter 
of  the  chase,  gave  him  a  broadside.  Until  this  moment,  the  stranger 
had  kept  all  his  guns  housed,  but  he  now  showed  thirteen  of  a  side, 
and  delivered  his  fire.  It  was  soon  perceived  on  board  the  Hamp- 
den that  they  were  engaged  with  a  ship  of  a  force  altogether  superior 
to  their  own.  Still,  hoping  that  she  might  be  badly  manned,  and 
receiving  no  material  damage  at  the  commencement  of  the  fight,  the 
commander  of  the  Hampden  determined  to  continue  the  action.  A 
hot  engagement  followed,  which  lasted  three  hours,  within  pistol-shot, 
when  the  Hampden  was  compelled  to  haul  off,  being  in  momentary 
danger  of  losing  her  masts.  The  American  lost  a  Captain  Pickering 
killed, — but  whether  he  was  a  marine  officer,  or  her  commander, 
docs  not  appear, — and  had  twenty  men  killed  and  wounded.     The 

VOL.    I.  7 


1 


98 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


enemy,  an  Indiaman  Avas  much  injured  also,  though  her  loss  was 
never  ascertained.  This  was  one  of  the  most  closely  contested  ac- 
tions of  the  war,  both  sides  appearing  to  have  fought  with  persever- 
ance and  gallantry. 

On  the  18th  of  April,  the  U.  S.  ships  "Warren  32,  Captain  J.  B. 
Hopkins,  Queen  of  France  28,  Captain  Olney,  and  Ranger  18,  Cap- 
tain Simpson,  sailed  from  Boston,  in  company,  on  a  cruise  ;  Captain 
Hopkins  being  the  senior  officer.  When  a  few  days  from  port,  these 
vessels  captured  a  British  privateer  of  14  guns,  from  the  people  of 
which  they  ascertained  that  a  small  fleet  of  armed  transports  and 
store-ships  had  just  sailed  from  New  York,  bound  to  Georgia,  with 
supplies  for  the  enemy's  forces  in  that  quarter.  The  three  cruisers 
crowded  sail  in  chase,  and  off  Cape  Henry,  late  in  the  day,  they  had 
the  good  fortune  to  come  up  with  nine  sail,  seven  of  which  they 
captured,  with  a  trifling  resistance.  Favoured  by  the  darkness,  the 
two  others  escaped.  The  vessels  taken  proved  to  be,  his  Britannic 
Majesty's  ship  Jason,  20,  with  a  crew  of  1.50  men  ;  the  Maria  armed 
ship,  of  16  guns,  and  84  men  ;  and  the  privateer  schooner  Hibernia, 
8,  Avith  a  crew  of  45  men.  The  Maria  had  a  full  cargo  of  flour. 
In  addition  to  these  vessels,  the  brings  Patriot,  Prince  Frederick, 
Bachelor  John,  and  the  schooner  Chance,  all  laden  with  stores, 
fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Americans.  Among  the  prisoners  were 
twenty-four  British  officers,  who  were  on  their  way  to  join  their  regi- 
ments at  the  south.* 

The  command  of  the  Queen  of  France  was  now  given  to  Captain 
Ratliburne,  when  that  ship  sailed  on  another  cruise,  in  company  with 
the  Ranger,  and  the  Providence  28,  Captain  Whipple  ;  the  latter 
being  the  senior  officer.  In  July,  this  squadron  fell  in  with  a  large 
fleet  of  English  merchantmen,  that  was  convoyed  by  a  ship  of  the 
line,  and  some  smaller  cruisers,  and  succeeded  in  cutting  out  several 
valuable  prizes,  of  which  eight  arrived  at  Boston,  their  estimated 
value  exceeding  a  million  of  dollars.  In  the  way  of  pecuniary 
benefits,  this  was  the  most  successful  cruise  made  in  the  war. 

Owing  to  the  want  of  ships  in  the  navy.  Captain  Manly  was  com- 
pelled to  seek  service  in  a  privateer  called  the  Cumberland.  In  this 
vessel  he  was  captured  by  the  Pomona  frigate,  and,  obtaining  his 
exchange,  he  went  on  a  cruise  in  the  Jason  private  armed  ship,  is 
which  vessel,  in  July  of  the  present  year,  he  was  attacked  by  two  of 
the  enemy's  privateers,  one  of  18,  and  the  other  of  10  guns,  when 
running  boldly  between  them,  the  Jason  poured  in  her  fire,  larboard 
and  starboard,  with  so  much  eflect,  that  both  surrendered. 

Quitting  the  American  seas,  we  will  once  more  return  to  the  other 
hemisphere. 

Paul  Jones  had  obtained  so  much  celebrity  for  his  cruise  in  the 
Ranger,  that  he  remained  in  France,  after  the  departure  of  his  ship 
for  America,  in  the  hope  of  receiving  a  more  important  command, 
the  inducement,  indeed,  which  had  originally  brought  him  to  Europe. 

*  A  Colonel  Campbell  was  tlic  highest  in  rank,  and  if  this  were  the  officer  of  the  same 
name  and  rank  taken  oil"  Boston,  in  177C,  he  was  twice  made  a  prisoner  on  board  traius- 
ports,  during  this  war. 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


99 


Many  difierent  projects  to  this  effect  had  been  entertained  and  aban- 
doned, during  the  years  1778  and  1779,  by  one  of  which  a  descent 
was  to  have  been  made  on  Liverpool,  with  a  body  of  troops  com- 
manded by  Lafayette.  All  these  plans,  however,  produced  no 
results,  and  after  many  vexatious  repulses  in  his  applications  for 
service,  an  arrangement  was  finally  made  to  give  this  celebrated  offi- 
cer employment  that  was  as  singular  in  its  outlines,  as  it  proved  to 
be  inconvenient,  not  to  say  impracticable,  in  execution. 

By  a  letter  from  M.  de  Sartine,  the  minister  of  the  marine,  dated 
February  4th,  1779,  it  appears  that  the  King  of  France  had  con- 
sented to  purchase  and  put  at  the  disposition  of  Captain  Jones,  the 
Duras,  an  old  Indiaman  of  some  size,  then  lying  at  I'Orient.  To 
this  vessel  were  added  three  more  that  were  procured  by  means  of 
M.  le  Ray  de  Chaumont,  a  banker  of  eminence  connected  with  the 
court,  and  who  acted  on  the  occasion,  under  the  orders  of  the  French 
ministry.  Dr.  Franklin,  who,  as  minister  of  the  United  States,  was 
supposed,  in  a  legal  sense,  to  direct  the  whole  affair,  added  the  Alli- 
ance, 32,  in  virtue  of  the  authority  that  he  held  from^Congress.  The 
vessels  that  were  thus  chosen,  formed  a  little  squadron,  composed  of 
the  Durus,  Alliance,  Pallas,  Cerf,  and  Vengeance.  The  Pallas  was 
a  merchantman  bought  ior  the  occasion  ;  the  Vengeance  a  small 
brig  that  had  also  been  purchased  expressly  for  the  expedition ;  the 
Cerf  was  a  fine  large  cutte*,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  Alliance, 
the  only  vessel  of  tlie  squadron  fitted  for  war.  All  the  ships  but  the 
Alliance  were  French  built,  and  they  were  placed  under  the  Ameri- 
can flag,  by  the  following  arrangement. 

The  officers  received  appointments,  which  were  to  remain  valid 
for  a  limited  period  only,  from  Dr.  Franklin,  who  had  held  blank 
commissions  to  be  filled  up  at  his  own  discretion,  ever  since  his  arri- 
val in  Europe,  while  the  vessels  were  to  show  the  American  ensign, 
and  no  other.  In  short,  the  French  ships  were  to  be  considered  ac 
American  ships,  during  this  particular  service,  and  when  it  was 
terminated,  they  were  to  revert  to  their  former  owners.  The  laws 
and  provisions  of  the  American  navy  were  to  govern,  and  command 
was  to  be  exercised,  and  to  descend,  agreeably  to  its  usages.  Such 
officers  as  already  had  rank  in  the  American  service,  were  to  take 
precedence  of  course,  agreeably  to  the  dates  of  their  respective  com- 
missions, while  the  new  appointments  were  to  be  regulated  by  the 
new  dates.  By  an  especial  provision.  Captain  Jones  was  to  be  com- 
mander-in-chief, a  post  he  would  have  been  entitled  to  fill  by  his 
original  commission,  however,  Captain  Landais  of  the  Alliance,  the 
only  other  regular  captain  in  the  squadron,  being  his  junior.  The 
joint  right  of  the  American  minister  and  of  the  French  government, 
to  instruct  the  commodore,  and  to  direct  the  movements  of  the  squad- 
ron, was  also  recognised. 

From  what  source  the  money  was  actually  obtained  by  which  this 
sqimdron  was  fitted  out,  is  not  exactly  known,  nor  is  it  now  probable 
that  it  will  ever  be  accurately  ascertained.  Although  the  name  of 
the  king  was  used,  it  is  not  impossible  that  private  adventure  was  at 
the  bottom  of  the  enterprise,  though  it  seems  certain  that  the  govern- 
ment was  so  fur  concerned  as  to  procure  the  vessels,  and  to  a  certain 


:-*M 


SB  '  ■ 


100 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


extent  to  use  its  stores.    Dr.  Franklin  expressly  states,  that  he  made 
no  advances  for  any  of  the  ships  employed. 

As  every  thing  connected  with  this  remarkable  enterprise  has 
interest,  we  shall  endeavour  to  give  the  reader  a  better  idea  of  the 
materials,  physical  and  moral,  that  composed  the  force  of  Commo- 
dore Jones,  in  his  memorable  cruise. 

After  many  vexatious  delays,  the  Duras,  her  name  having  been 
chano-ed  to  that  of  the  Bon  Homme  Richard,  in  compliment  to  Dr. 
Franklin,  was  eventually  equipped  and  manned.    Directions  had 
been  given  to  cast  the  proper  number  of  eighteen-pounders  for  her, 
but,  it  beino-  ascertained  that  there  would  not  be  time  to  complete 
this  order,  some  old  twelves  were  procured  in  their  places.    With 
this  material  change  in  the  armament,  the  Richard,  as  she  was 
familiarly  called  by  the  seamen,  got  ready  for  sea.    She  was,  prop- 
erly, a  single-decked  ship ;  or  carried  her  armament  on  one  gun- 
deck,  with  the  usual  additions  on  the  quarter-deck  and  forecastle ; 
but  Commodore  Jones,  with  a  view  of  attacking  some  of  the  larger 
convoys  of  the  enemy,  caused  twelve  ports  to  be  cut  in  the  gun-room 
below,  where  six  old  eighteen-pounders  were  mounted,  it  being  the 
intention  to  fight  all  the  guns  on  one  side,  in  smooth  water.     The 
height  of  the  ship  admitted  of  this  arrangement,  though  it  was  fore- 
seen that  these  guns  could  not  be  of  much  use,  except  in  very  mod- 
erate weather,  or  when  engaging  to  leeward.     On  her  main,  or  prop- 
er gun-deck,  the  ship  had  twenty-eight  ports,  the  regular  construc- 
tion of  an  English  38,  agreeably  to  the  old  mode  of  rating.     Here  the 
twelve-pounders  were  placed.     On  the  quarter-deck  and  forecastle, 
were  mounted  eight  nines,  making  in  all  a  mixed  and  rather  light 
armament  of  42  guns.     If  the  six  eighteens  were  taken  away,  the 
force  of  the  Bon  Homme  Richard,  so  far  as  her  cuns  were  con- 
cerned,  would  have  been  about  equal  to  that  of  a  32  gun  frigate. 
The  vessel  was  clumsily  constructed,  having  been  built  many  years 
before,  and  had  one  of  those  high  old-fashioned  poops,  that  caused 
the  sterns  of  the  ships  launched  in  the  early  part  of  the  eighteenth 
century  to  resemble  towers. 

To  manage  a  vessel  of  this  singular  armament  and  doubtful  con- 
struction. Commodore  Jones  was  compelled  to  receive  on  board  a 
crew  of  a  still  more  equivocal  composition.  A  few  Americans  were 
found  to  fill  the  stations  of  sea  officers,  on  the  quarter-deck  and 
forward,  but  the  remainder  of  the  people  were  a  mixture  of  English, 
Irish,  Scotfh, Portuguese, Norwegians,  Germans, Spaniards  Swedes, 
Italians  and  Malays,  with  occasionally  a  man  from  one  of  the  islands. 
To  keep  this  motley  crew  in  order,  one  hundred  and  thirty-five 
soldiers  were  put  on  board,  under  the  command  of  some  officers  of 
inferior  rank.  These  soI'Mers,  or  marines,  were  recruited  at  random, 
and  were  not  much  less  singularly  mixed,  as  to  countries,  than  the 
regular  crew. 

As  the  squadron  Avas  about  to  sail,  M.  Le  Ray  appeared  at 
rOrient,  and  presented  an  agreement,  or  concordat  as  it  was  termed, 
for  the  signature  of  all  the  commanders.  To  this  singular  compact, 
which,  in  some  respects,  reduced  a  naval  expedition  to  the  level  of  a 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


101 


partnership,  Commodore  Jones  ascribed  much  of  the  disobedience 
among  his  raptains,  of  which  he  subsequently  complained.  It  will 
be  founH  j       ce  appendix.* 

Oil  ihe  .  h  of  June  1779,  the  ships  sailed  from  the  anchorage 
under  the  isb  of  Groix,  off  I'Orient,  bound  to  the  southward,  with  a 
few  transports  and  coasters  under  their  convoy.  The  transports  and 
coasters  were  seen  into  their  several  places  of  destination,  in  the 
Garonne,  Loire,  and  other  ports,  but  not  without  the  commencement 
of  that  course  of  disobedience  of  orders,  unseamanlike  conduct,  and 
neglect,  which  so  signally  marked  the  whole  career  of  this  ill  as- 
sorted force.  While  lying  to,  off  the  coast,  the  Alliance,  by  palpable 
mismanagement,  got  foul  of  the  Richard,  and  lost  her  mizen  mast; 
carrying  away,  at  the  same  time,  the  head,  cut-water,  and  jib-boom' 
of  the  latter.     It  now  became  necessary  to  return  to  port  to  refit. 

While  steering  northerly  again,  the  Cerf  cutter  was  sent  in  chase 
of  a  strange  sail,  and  parted  company.  The  next  morning  sheen- 
gaged  a  small  English  cruiser  of  14  guns,  and  afler  a  sharp  conflict 
of  more  than  an  hour,  obliged  her  to  strike,  but  was  compelled  to 
abandon  her  prize  in  consequence  of  the  appearance  of  a  vessel  of 
superior  force.  The  Cerf,  with  a  loss  of  several  men  killed  and 
wounded,  made  the  best  of  her  way  to  I'Orient. 

On  the  22d,  three  enemy's  vessels  of  war  came  in  sight  of  the 
squadron,  and,  liaving  the  wind,  they  ran  down  in  a  line  abreast, 
when  most  probably  deceived  by  the  height  and  general  appearance 
of  the  Richard,  they  hauled  up,  and,  by  carrying  a  press  of  sail, 
escaped. 

On  the  26th,  the  Alliance  and  Pallas  parted  company  with  the 
Richard,  leaving  that  ship  with  no  other  consort  than  the  Vengeance 
brig.  On  reaching  the  Penmarks,  the  designated  rendezvous,  the 
missing  vessels  did  not  appear.  On  the  29th,  the  Vengeance  having 
made  the  best  of  her  way  for  the  roads  of  Groix  by  permission,  the 
Richard  fell  in  with  two  more  of  the  enemy's  cruisers,  which,  after 
some  indications  of  an  intention  to  come  down,  also  ran,  no  doubt 
under  t!ie  impression  that  the  American  frigate  was  a  ship  of  two 
decks.  On  this  occaaon  Commodore  Jones  expressed  himself  satis- 
fied with  the  spirit  of  his  crew,  the  people  manifesting  a  strong  wish 
to  engage.  On  the  last  of  the  month,  the  Richard  returned  to  the 
roads  from  whicli  she  had  sailed,  and  anchored.  The  Alliance  and 
Pallas  came  in  also. 

Another  delay  occurred.  A  court  was  convened  to  inquire  into 
the  conduct  of  Captain  Landais  of  the  Alliance,  and  of  other  oflicers, 
in  running  foul  of  the  Richard,  and  both  ships  underwent  repairs. 
Luckily  a  cartel  arrived  from  England,  at  this  moment,  bringing 
with  her  more  than  a  hundred  exchanged  American  seamen,  most 
of  whom  joined  the  squadron.  This  proved  to  be  a  great  and  im- 
portant accession  to  the  com]iosition  of  the  crew  of  not  only  the 
Riclpinl,  l)ut  to  that  of  the  Alliance,  the  latter  ship  having  been  but 
little  Iiotter  oflT  tli;in  the  former  in  this  particular.  Among  those  who 
came  from  the  Englissh  prisons,  was  Mr.  Richard  Dale,  who  had  been 


•  See  note  A,  eoa  of  volume. 


102 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


•  \ 


taken  ag  a  master's  mate,  in  the  Lexington  14.  This  young  officer 
did  not  reach  France  in  the  cartel,  however,  but  hud  previously 
escaped  from  Mill  prison  and  joined  the  Richard.  Commodore 
Jones  had  now  become  sensible  of  his  merit,  and  in  reorganising  his 
crew,  he  had  him  promoted,  and  rated  him  as  his  first  lieutenant. 
The  Richard  had  now  nearly  a  hundred  Americans  in  her,  and,  with 
the  exception  of  the  commodore  himself  and  one  midshipman,  all 
her  quarter-deck  sea-officors  were  of  the  number.  Many  of  the  petty 
officers  too,  were  of  this  class.  In  a  letter  written  August  the  llth. 
Commodore  Jones  states  that  tl:3  crew  of  the  Richard  consisted  of 
380  souls,  including  137  marines,  or  soldiers. 

On  the  14th  of  August,  1779,  the  squadron  sailed  a  second  time 
from  the  roads  of  Groix,  having  the  French  privateers  Monsieur  and 
Granville  in  company,  and  under  the  orders  of  Commodore  Jones. 
On  the  18th  a  valuable  prize  was  taken,  and  some  difficulties  arising 
with  the  commander  of  the  Monsieur  in  consequence,  the  latter  parted 
company  in  the  night  of  the  19th.  This  was  a  serious  loss  in  the  way 
of  force,  that  ship  having  mounted  no  less  than  forty  guns.  A  prize 
was  also  taken  on  the  21st.  On  the  23d,  the  ships  were  off  Cape 
Clear,  and,  while  towing  the  Richard's  head  round  in  a  calm,  the 
crew  of  a  boat  manned  by  Englishmen,  cut  the  tow-line,  and  escaped. 
Mr.  Cutting  Lunt,  the  sailing-master  of  the  ship,  manned  another 
boat,  and  taking  with  him  four  soldiers,  he  pursued  the  fugitives. 
A  fog  coming  on,  the  latter  boat  was  not  able  to  find  the  ships  again, 
and  her  people  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Through  this 
desertion  and  its  immediate  consequences,  the  Richard  lost  twenty 
of  her  best  men. 

The  day  after  the  escape  of  the  boat,  the  Cerf  was  sent  close  in  to 
reconnoitre,  and  to  look  for  the  missing  people,  and  owing  to  some 
circumstance  that  has  never  been  explained,  but  which  does  not  ap- 
pear to  have  left  any  reproach  upon  her  commander,  this  vessel  never 
rejoined  the  squadron. 

A  gale  of  wind  followed,  during  which  the  Alliance  and  Pallas 
separated,  and  the  Granville  parted  company  with  a  prize,  according 
to  orders.  The  separation  of  the  Pallas  is  explained  by  the  fact  that 
she  had  broken  her  tiller;  but  that  of  the  Alliance  can  only  be  im- 
puted to  the  unofficerlike,  as  well  as  unseamanlike,  conduct  of  her 
commander.  On  the  morning  of  the  27th,  the  brig  Vengeance  was 
the  only  vessel  in  company  with  the  connnodore. 

On  the  morning  of  the  31st  of  August,  the  Bon  Ilomme  Richard, 
being  off  Cape  Wrath,  captured  a  large  letter  of  marque  bound  from 
London  to  Quebec,  a  circumstance  that  proves  the  expedients  to 
which  the  English  ship-masters  were  then  driven  to  avoid  capture, 
this  vessel  having  actually  gone  north-about  to  escape  the  cruisers 
on  the  ordinary  track.  While  in  chase  of  the  letter  of  marque,  the 
Alliance  hove  in  sight,  haviirg  another  London  ship,  a  Jamaica-man, 
in  company  as  a  prize. 

C;iptain  Landais,  of  the  Alliance,  an  officer,  who,  as  it  has  since 
been  ascertained,  had  been  oblijred  to  quit  the  French  navy  on  ac- 
count of  a  singularly  unfortunate  temper,  now  began  to  exhibit  a 


1 

i 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


103 


disorgiuiising  and  mutinous  spirit,  pretending,  as  his  ship  wus  the 
only  real  American  vessel  in  the  squadron,  that  he  was  superior  to 
the  orders  of  the  commodore,  and  that  he  would  do  as  he  pleased  with 
that  frigate. 

In  the  afternoon  a  strange  sail  was  made,  and  the  Richard  showed 
the  Alliance's  number,  with  an  order  to  chase.  Instead  of  obeying 
this  signal,  Captain  Landais  wore  and  laid  the  head  of  his  ship  in  a 
direction  opposite  to  that  necessary  to  execute  the  order!  Several 
other  signals  were  disobeyed  in  an  equally  contemptuous  manner, 
and  the  control  of  Commodore  Jones  over  the  movements  of  this  ship, 
which,  on  the  whole,  ought  to  have  been  the  most  efficient  in  the 
squadron,  may  be  said  to  have  ceased. 

Commodore  Jones  now  shaped  his  course  for  the  second  rendez- 
vous he  had  appointed,  in  the  hope  of  meeting  the  missing  ships.  On 
the  2d  of  September,  the  Pallas  rejoined,  having  captured  nothing. 
Between  this  date  and  the  13th  of  September,  the  squadron  continued 
its  course  round  Scotland,  the  ships  separating  and  rejoining  con- 
stantly, and  Captain  Landais  assuming  powers  over  the  prizes,  as 
well  as  over  his  own  vessel,  that  were  altogether  opposed  to  disci- 
pline, and  to  the  usages  of  every  regular  marine.  On  the  last  day 
named,  the  Cheviot  Hills  were  visible. 

Understanding  that  a  twenty  gun  ship  with  two  or  three  man-of- 
war  cutters  were  lying  at  anchor  off  Leith,  in  the  Frith  of  Forth, 
Commodore  Jones  now  planned  a  descent  on  that  town.  At  this 
time  the  Alliance  was  absent,  and  the  Pallas  and  Vengeance  having 
chased  to  tfie  southward,  the  necessity  of  communicating  with  those 
vessels  produced  a  delay  fatal  to  a  project  which  had  been  admirably 
conceived,  and  which  there  is  reason  to  think  might  have  succeeded. 
After  joining  his  two  subordinates,  and  giving  his  orders,  Com- 
modore Jones  beat  into  the  Frith,  and  continued  working  up  towards 
Leith,  until  the  17th,  when,  being  just  out  of  gun-shot  of  the  town, 
the  boats  were  got  out  and  manned.  The  troops  to  be  landed  were 
commanded  by  M.  de  Chamilliard,  while  Mr.  Dale,  of  the  Richard, 
was  put  at  the  head  of  the  seamen.  The  latter  had  received  his 
orders,  and  was  just  about  to  go  into  his  boat,  when  a  squall  struck 
the  ships,  and  was  near  dismasting  the  commodore.  Finding  him- 
self obliged  to  fill  his  sails.  Commodore  Jones  endeavoured  to  keep 
the  ground  he  had  gained,  but  the  weight  of  the  wind  finally  com- 
pelled vW  the  vessels  to  bear  up,  and  a  severe  gale  succeeding,  they 
were  drivon  into  the  North  sea,  where  one  of  the  prizes  foundered. 

It  is  not  easy  to  say  what  would  have  been  the  result  of  this  dash- 
ing enterprise,  hud  the  weather  permitted  the  attempt.    The  audacity 


of  the  measure  might  have  insured  a  victory;  and  in  the  whole 
design  we  discover  the  decision,  high  moral  courage,  and  deep 
enthuisiasm  of  the  officer  who  conceived  it.  It  was  the  opinion  of 
Mr.  Dale,  a  man  of  singular  modesty,  great  simplicity  of  character, 
and  pnulcuce,  that  success  would  have  rewarded  the  effort. 

Abandoning  this  bold  project  with  reluctance.  Commodore  Jones 
appeared  to  have  meditated  another  still  more  daring;  but  his  co^ 
leagues,  as  he  bitterly  styles  his  captains  in  one  of  his  letters,  refused 


104 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


^^1 

■.I 
( 


V' 


to  join  in  it.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  when  Commodore  Jones 
laid  this  second  scheme,  which  has  never  been  explained,  before  the 
young  sea-officers  of  his  own  ship,  they  announced  their  readiness  as 
one  man  to  second  him,  heart  and  hand.  The  enterprise  was 
dropped,  however,  in  consequence  of  the  objections  of  Captain  Cot- 
tineau,  of  the  Pallas,  in  particular,  an  officerfor  whose  judgment  the 
commodore  appears  to  have  entertained  much  respect. 

The  Pallas  and  Vengeance  even  left  the  Richard,  probably  with 
a  view  to  prevent  the  attempt  to  execute  this  nameless  scheme,  and 
t!ie  commodore  was  compelled  to  follow  his  captains  to  the  south- 
ward, or  to  lose  them  altogether.  Off  Whitby  the  ships  last  named 
joined  again,  and  on  the  21st  the  Richard  chased  a  collier  ashore 
between  Flamborough  Head  and  the  Spurn.  The  next  day  the 
Richard  appeared  in  the  mouth  of  the  Humber,  with  the  Vengeance 
in  company,  and  several  vessels  were  taken  or  destroyed.  Pilots 
were  enticed  on  board,  and  a  knowledge  of  the  state  of  things  in-shore 
was  obtained.  It  appeared  that  the  whole  coast  was  alarmed,  and 
that  many  persons  were  actually  burying  their  plate.  Some  twelve 
or  thirteen  vessels  in  all  had  now  been  taken  by  the  squadron,  and 
quite  as  many  more  destroyed ;  and  coupling  these  facts  with  the 
appearance  of  the  ships  on  the  coast  and  in  the  Frith,  rumour  had 
swelled  the  whole  into  one  of  its  usual  terrific  tales.  Perhaps  no 
vessels  of  war  had  ever  before  excited  so  much  local  alarm  on  the 
coast  of  Great  Britain. 

Under  the  circumstances,  Commodore  Jones  did  not  think  it 
prudent  to  remain  so  close  in  with  the  land,  and  he  stood  out  towards 
Flamborough  Head.  Here  two  large  sails  were  made,  which  next 
dav  proved  to  be  the  Alliance  and  the  Pallas.  This  was  on  the  23d 
of  September,  and  brings  us  down  to  the  most  memorable  event  in 
this  extraordinary  cruise. 

The  wind  was  light  at  the  southward,  the  weather  smooth,  and 
many  vessels  were  in  sight  steering  in  different  directions.  About 
noon,  his  original  squadron,  with  the  exception  of  the  Cerf  and  the 
two  privateers,  being  all  in  company.  Commodore  Jones  manned  one 
of  the  pilot  boats  he  had  detained,  and  sent  her  in  chase  of  a  brig 
that  was  lying  to,  to  windward.  On  board  this  little  vessel  were  put 
Mr.  Henry  Lunt,  the  second  lieutenant,  and  fifteen  men,  all  of  whom 
were  out  of  the  ship  for  the  rest  of  the  day.  In  consequence  of  the 
loss  of  the  two  boats  off  Cape  Clear,  the  absence  of  this  party  in  the 
pilot  boat,  and  the  number  of  men  that  had  been  put  in  ])rizcs,  the 
Richard  was  now  left  with  only  one  sea-lieutenant,  and  with  but  little 
more  than  three  hundred  souls  on  board,  exclusively  of  the  prijjoncrs. 
Of  the  latter,  there  were  between  one  and  two  hundred  in  the  ship. 

The  pilot  boat  had  hardly  left  the  Bon  Homme  Richard,  when  the 
leading  ships  of  a  fleet  of  more  than  forty  sail  were  seen  stretching 
out  on  a  bowline,  from  behind  Flamborough  Head,  turning  down 
towards  the  Straits  of  Dover.  From  previous  intelligence  this  fleet 
was  immediately  known  to  contain  the  Baltic  ships,  under  the  con- 
voy of  the  Serapis  44,  Captain  Richard  Pearson,  and  a  lured  ship 
that  had  been  put  into  the  King's  service,  called  the  Countess  of 


Set 
mo 
chi 
a  n 

bui 
wh 
her 


sou 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


105 


Scarborough.  The  latter  was  commanded  by  Captain  Piercy,  and 
mounted  22  guns.  As  the  interest  of  the  succeeding  details  will 
chiefly  centre  in  the  Serapis  and  the  Richard,  it  may  be  well  to  give 
a  more  minute  account  of  the  actual  force  of  the  former. 

At  the  period  of  which  we  are  now  writing,  forty-fours  were  usually 
built  on  two  decks.  Such,  then,  was  the  construction  of  this  ship, 
which  was  new,  and  had  the  reputation  of  being  a  fast  vessel.  On 
her  lower  gun-deck  she  mounted  20  eighteen-pound  guns :  on  her 
upper  gun-deck,  20  nine-pound  guns;  and  on  her  quarter-deck  and 
forecastle,  10  six-pound  guns ;  making  an  armament  of  50  guns  in  * 
the  whole.  She  had  a  regularly  trained  man-of-war's  crew  of  320 
souls,  15  of  whom,  however,  were  said  to  have  been  Lascars. 

When  the  squadron  made  this  convoy,  the  men-of-war  were  in- 
shore astern,  and  to  leeward,  probably  with  a  view  to  keep  the  mer- 
chantmen together.  The  bailiffs  of  Scarborough,  perceiving  the 
danger  into  which  this  little  fleet  was  running,  had  sent  a  boat  off 
to  the  Serapis  to  apprise  her  of  the  presence  of  a  hostile  force,  and 
Captain  Pearson  fired  two  guns,  signalling  the  leading  vessels  to 
come  under  his  lee.  These  orders  were  disregarded,  however, 
the  headmost  ships  standing  out  until  they  were  about  a  league  from 
the  land. 

Commodore  Jones  having  ascertained  the  character  of  the  fleet  in 
sight,  showed  a  signal  for  a  general  chase,  another  to  recall  the 
lieutenant  in  the  pilot  boat,  and  crossed  royal  yards  on  board  the 
Richard.  These  signs  of  hostility  alarmed  the  nearest  English  ships, 
which  hurriedly  tacked  together,  fired  alarm  guns,  let  fly  their  top- 
gallant sheets,  and  made  other  signals  of  the  danger  they  were  ki, 
while  they  now  gladly  availed  themselves  of  the  presence  of  the 
vessels  of  war,  to  run  to  leeward,  or  sought  shelter  closer  in  with  the 
land.  The  Serapis,  on  the  contrary,  signalled  the  Scarborough  to 
follow,  and  hauled  boldly  out  to  sea,  until  she  had  got  far  enough 
to  windward,  when  she  tacked  and  stood  in-shore  again,  to  cover 
her  convoy. 

The  Alliance  being  much  the  fastest  vessel  of  the  American  squad- 
ron, took  the  lead  in  the  chase,  speaking  the  Pallas  as  she  passed. 
It  has  been  proved  that  Captain  Landais  told  the  commander  of  the 
latter  vessel  on  this  occasion,  that  if  the  slranger  proved  to  be  a  fifty, 
they  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  endeavour  to  escape.     His  subsequent 
conduct  fully  confirmed  this  opinion,  for  no  sooner  had  he  run  down 
near  enough  to  the  two  English  vessels  of  war,  to  ascertain  their 
force,  than  he  hauled  up,  and  stooaofF  from  the  land  again.     All 
this  was  not  only  contrary  to  the  regular  order  of  battle,  but  contrary 
to  the  positive  command  of  Commodore  Jones,  who  had  kept  the 
signal  to  form  a  line  abroad,  which  should  have  brought  the  Alliance 
astern  of  the  Richard,  and  the  Pallas  in  the  van.    Just  at  this  time, 
the  Pallas  spoke  the  Richard  and  inquired  what  station  she  should 
take,  and  was  also  directed  to  form  the  line.     But  the  extraordinary 
movements  of  Captain  Landais  appear  to  have  produced  some  inde- 
cision ill  the  commander  of  the  Pallas,  as  he  too,  soon  after  tacked 
and  stood  off  from  the  land.     Captain  Cottineau,  however,  was  a 


^>;^if.  I 


it.; 


106 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


brave  man,  and  subsequently  did  his  duty  in  the  notion,  and  this 
manoeuvre  has  been  explained  by  the  Richard's  hauling  up  suddenly 
for  the  land,  which  induced  him  to  think  that  her  crew  had  mutinied 
and  were  running  away  with  the  ship.  Such  was  the  want  of  con- 
fidence that  prevailed  in  a  force  so  singularly  composed,  and  such 
were  the  disadvantages  under  which  this  celebrated  combat  was 
fought ! 

So  far,  however,  from  meditating  retreat  or  mutiny,  the  people  of 
the  Bon  Jlonime  Richard  had  gone  cheerfully  to  their  (piarttrs,  al- 
thou<rh  every  man  on  board  was  conscious  of  the  superiority  of  the 
force  with  which  they  were  about  to  contend  ;  and  the  high  uncon- 
querable spirit  of  the  commander  appears  to  have  communicated 
itself  to  the  crew. 

It  was  now  quite  dark,  and  Commodore  Jones  was  compelled  to 
follow  the  movements  of  the  enemy  by  the  aid  of  a  night-glass.  It 
is  probable  that  the  obscurity  which  prevailed  added  to  tlie  indecision 
of  the  commander  of  the  Pallas,  for  from  this  time  until  the  moon 
rose,  objects  at  a  distance  were  distinguished  with  difficulty,  and  even 
after  the  moon  appeared,  with  unpertainty.  The  Richard,  however, 
stood  steadily  on,  and  about  half  past  seven,  she  came  up  with  the 
Serapis,  the  Scarborough  being  a  short  distance  to  leeward.  The 
American  ship  was  to  windward,  and  as  she  drew  slowly  near,  Cap- 
tain Pearson  hailed.  The  answer  was  equivocal,  and  both  ships  de- 
livered their  entire  broadsides  nearly  simultaneously.  The  water 
being  quite  smooth.  Commodore  Jones  had  relied  materially  on  the 
eighteeiis  that  were  in  the  gun-room  ;  but  at  this  discharge  two  of 
the  six  that  were  fired  bursted,  blowing  up  the  deck  above,  and  kill- 
ing or  wounding  a  large  proportion  of  the  people  that  were  stationed 
below.  This  disaster  caused  all  the  heavy  guns  to  be  instantly  de- 
serted, for  the  men  had  no  longer  confidence  in  their  metal.  It  at 
once,  reduced  the  broadside  of  the  Richard  to  about  a  third  less  than 
that  of  her  opponent,  not  to  include  the  disadvantage  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  force  that  remained  was  distributed  among  light  guns. 
tn  short,  the  combat  was  now  between  a  twelve-pounder  and  an 
eighteen  -pounder  frigate  ;  a  species  of  contest  in  which,  ii  has  been 
said,  we  know  not  with  what  truth,  the  former  has  never  been  known 
to  prevail.  Commodore  Jones  informs  us  himself,  that  all  his  hopes, 
after  this  accident,  rested  on  the  twelve-pounders  that  were  under  the 
command  of  his  first  lieutenant. 

The  Richard,  having  backed  her  topsails,  exchanged  several 
broadsides,  when  she  filled  a^ain  and  shot  ahead  of  the  Serapis, 
which  ship  luff'ed  across  her  stern  and  came  up  on  the  weather  quar- 
ter of  her  antagonist,  taking  the  wind  out  of  her  sails,  and,  in  her 
turn,  passing  ahead.  All  this  time,  Avhich  consumed  half  an  hour, 
the  cannonading  was  close  and  furious.  The  Scarborough  now 
drew  near,  but  it  is  uncertain  whether  she  fired  or  not.  On  the  side 
of  the  Americans  it  is  aflirmed  that  she  raked  the  Richard  at  least 
once  ;  but,  by  the  report  of  her  own  commander,  it  would  appear 
thn%  on  account  of  the  obscurity  and  the  smoke,  he  was  afrui  I  to 
d-  -charge  his  guns,  not  knowing  wliich  ship  might  be  the  friend   or 


1779.J 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


107 


v.iiich  the  foe.  Unwilling  to  lie  by,  and  to  be  exposed  to  shot  use- 
Icijsly,  Ciiptuin  Piercy  edged  awny  from  the  combatants,  exchanging 
a  broadside  or  two,  at  a  great  distance,  with  the  Alliance,  and  shortly 
afterwards  was  engaged  at  close  quarters  by  the  Pallas,  which  ship 
compelled  him  to  strike,  after  a  creditable  resistance  of  about  an  hour. 

Having  disposed  of  the  inferior  ships,  we  can  confine  ourselves  to 
the  principal  combatants.  As  the  Serapis  kept  her  luff,  sailing  and 
working  better  than  the  Richard,  it  was  the  intention  of  Captain 
Pearson  to  pay  liroad  off  across  the  latter's  fore-foot,  as  soon  as  he 
had  got  far  enough  ahead  ;  but  making  the  attempt,  and  finding  he 
had  not  room,  he  put  his  helm  hard  down  to  keep  clear  of  his  ad- 
versary, when  the  double  movement  brought  the  two  ships  nearly  in 
a  line,  the  Serapis  leading.  By  these  uncertain  evolutions,  the  Eng- 
lish ship  lost  some  of  her  way,  while  the  American,  having  kept  her 
sails  trimmed,  not  only  closed,  but  actually  ran  aboard  of  her  antag- 
onist, bows  on,  H  little  on  her  Aveather  quarter.  The  wind  being 
light,  much  time  was  consumed  in  these  different  manoeuvres,  and 
near  an  hour  had  elapsed  between  the  firing  of  the  first  guns,  and  the 
moment  when  the  vessels  got  foul  of  each  other  in  the  manner  just 
described. 

The  English  now  thought  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the  Ameri- 
cans to  board  them,  and  a  few  minutes  passed  in  the  uncertainty 
which  such  an  expectation  would  create ;  but  the  positions  of  the 
vessels  were  not  favourable  for  either  party  to  pass  into  the  opposing 
ship.  There  being  at  this  moment  a  perfect  cessation  of  the  firing, 
Captain  Pearson  demanded,  "  Have  you  struck  your  colours '{" 
"I  have  not  yet  begun  to  fight,"  was  tha.answer. 

The  yards  of  the  Richard  were  braced  aback,  and,  the  sails  of  the 
Serapis  being  full,  the  ships  separated.  As  soon  as  far  enough 
asunder,  the  Serapis  put  her  helm  hard  down,  laid  all  aback  forward, 
shivered  her  after-sails,  and  wore  short  round  on  her  heel,  or  was 
box-hauled,  witii  a  view,  most  probably,  of  lulling  up  athwart  the 
bow  of  her  enemy,  in  order  to  again  rake  her.  In  this  position 
the  Richard  would  have  been  fighting  her  starboard,  and  the 
Serapis  her  larboard  guns  ;  but  Commodore  Jones,  by  this  time,  was 
conscious  of  the  hopelessness  of  success  against  so  much  heavier 
metal,  and  after  having  backed  astern  some  distance,  he  filled  on  the 
other  tack,  lufting  up  with  the  intention  of  meeting  the  enemy  as  he 
came  to  the  wind,  and  of  laying  him  athwart  hawse.  In  the  smoke, 
one  party  or  the  other  miscalculated  the  distance,  for  the  two  vessels 
came  foul  again,  the  bowsprit  of  the  English  ship  passing  over  the 
poop  of  the  American.  As  neither  had  much  way,  the  collision  did 
but  little  injury,  and  Commodore  Jones,  with  his  own  hands,  imme- 
diately lashed  the  enemy's  head-gear  to  his  mizen-mast.  The  pres- 
sure on  the  after  sails  of  the  Serapis,  which  vessel  was  nearly  before 
the  wind  at  the  time,  brought  her  hull  round,  and  the  two  ships 
gradually  fell  close  alongside  of  each  other,  head  and  stern,  the  jib- 
boom  of  the  Serapis  giving  vay  with  the  strain.  A  spare  anchor 
of  the  English  ship  now  hooked  in  the  quarter  of  the  American,  and 


[■  i! 


w 


I''l  I 


it 


108 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


additional  lashings  were  got  out  on  board  the  latter  to  secure  her  in 
this  position. 

Captain  Pearson,  who  was  as  much  aware  of  his  advantage  in  a 
regular  combat  as  his  opponent  could  be  of  his  own  inferiority,  no 
sooner  pereceived  that  the  vessels  were  foul,  than  he  dropped  an  an- 
chor, in  the  hope  that  the  Richard  would  drift  clear  of  him.  But 
such  an  expectation  was  perfectly  futile,  os  the  yards  were  interlock- 
ed, the  hulls  were  pressed  close  against  each  other,  there  were  lash- 
ings fore  and  aft,  and  even  the  ornamentol  work  aided  in  holding  the 
ships  together.  When  the  cable  of  the  Serapis  took  the  strain,  the 
vessels  slowly  tended,  with  the  bows  of  the  Serapis  and  the  stern  of 
the  Richard  to  the  tide.  At  this  instant  the  English  made  an  attempt 
to  board,  but  were  repulsed  with  trifling  loss. 

All  this  time  the  battle  raged.  The  lower  ports  of  the  Serapis 
having  been  closed,  as  the  vessel  swung,  to  prevent  boarding,  they 
were  now  blown  off,  in  order  to  allow  the  guns  to  be  run  out ;  and 
cases  actually  occurred  in  which  the  rammers  had  to  be  thrust  into 
the  ports  of  the  opposite  ship  in  order  to  be  entered  into  the  mu/zles 
of  tlieir  proper  guns.  It  is  evident  that  such  a  conflict  must  have 
been  of  short  duration.  In  effect,  the  heavy  metal  of  the  Serapis,  in 
one  or  two  discharges,  cleared  all  before  it,  and  the  main-deck  guns 
of  the  Richard  were  in  a  great  measure  abandoned.  Most  of  the 
people  went  on  the  upper-deck,  and  a  great  number  collected  on  the 
forecastle,  where  they  were  safe  from  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  continu- 
ing to  fight  by  throwing  grenades  and  using  muskets. 

in  this  stage  of  the  combat,  the  Serapis  was  tearing  her  antago- 
nist to  pieces  below,  almost  without  resistance  from  her  enemy's 
batteries,  only  two  guns  on  the  quarter-deck,  and  three  or  four  of 
the  twelves,  being  worked  at  all.  To  the  former,  by  shiftiii<f  a  gun 
from  the  larboard  side.  Commodore  Jones  succeeded  in  adding  a 
third,  all  of  which  were  used  with  effect,  under  his  immediate  inspec- 
tion, to  the  close  of  the  action.  He  could  not  muster  force  enough 
to  get  over  a  second  gun.  But  the  combat  would  now  have  soon 
terminated,  had  it  not  been  for  the  courage  and  activity  of  the  people 
aloft.  Strong  parties  had  been  placed  in  the  tops,  and,  at  the  end  of 
a  short  contest,  the  Americans  had  driven  every  man  belonging  to  the 
enemy  below  ;  after  which  they  kept  up  so  animated  a  fire,  on  the 
quarter-deck  of  the  Serapis  in  particular,  as  to  drive  nearly  every 
man  off  it,  that  was  not  shot  down. 

Thus,  while  the  English  had  the  battle  nearly  to  themselves  be- 
low, their  enemies  had  the  control  al)ove  the  upper-deck.  Having 
cleared  the  tops  of  the  Serai)is,  some  American  seamen  lay  out  on 
the  Richard's  main-yard,  and  began  to  throw  hand-grenades  upon 
the  two  upper  decks  of  tlie  English  ship  ;  the  men  of  the  forecastle 
of  their  own  vessel  seconding  these  eflbrts,  by  casting  the  same  com- 
bustibles through  the  ports  of  the  Serapis.  At  length  one  man,  in 
particular,  became  so  hardy  as  to  take  his  post  on  the  extreme  end 
of  the  yani,  whence,  provided  with  al/uclvet  filled  with  combiislibles, 
and  a  match,  he  dropped  the  grenades  with  so  much  ])recisi()n  that 
one  passed  through  the  main-halclnvay.     The   powder-boys  of  the 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


109 


Serapix  had  got  mora  cartridges  up  than  were  wanted,  and,  in  their 
hurry,  tlioy  hud  carelessly  laid  u  row  of  them  on  the  main-deck,  in 
aline  with  the  guns.  The  grenade  juMt  mentioned  set  fire  to  some 
loose  powder  that  was  lying  near,  and  the  flash  passed  from  cartridge 
to  cartridge,  beginning  abreast  of  the  muin-mast,  and  running 
quite  aii. 

The  effect  of  this  explosion  was  awful.  More  than  twenty  men 
were  instantly  killed,  many  of  them  being  left  with  nothing  on  them 
but  the  collars  and  wristbands  of  their  shirts,  and  the  waistbands  of 
their  duck  trowsers ;  while  the  oflicial  returns  of  the  ship,  a  week 
afler  the  action,  show  that  there  were  no  less  than  thirty-ei<rht 
wounded  on  board,  still  alive,  who  had  been  injured  in  this  manner, 
and  of  whom  thirty  were  then  said  to  be  in  great  danger.  Captain 
Pearson  described  this  explosion  ns  having  destroyed  nearly  all  the 
men  at  the  five  or  six  aftermost  guns.  On  the  whole,  near  sixty  of 
the  Serapis*  people  must  have  been  instantly  disabled  by  this  sudden 
blow. 

The  advantage  thus  obtained,  by  the  coolness  and  intrepidity  of 
the  topman,  in  a  great  measure  restored  the  chances  of  the  combat, 
and,  by  lessening  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  enabled  Commodore  Jones 
to  increose  his.     In  the  same  degree  that  it  encouraged  the  crew  of  the 
Richard,  it  diminished  the  hopes  of  the  people  of  the  Serapis.     One 
of  the  guns  under  the  immediate  inspection  of  Commodore  Jones 
had  been  pointed  some  time  against  the  main-mnst  of  his  enemy, 
while  the  two  others  had  seconded  the  fire  of  the  tops,  with  grape  and 
canister.     Kept  below  decks  by  this  double  attack,  where  a  scene  of 
frightful  horror  was  present  in  the  agonies  of  the  wounded,  and  the 
effects  of  the  explosion,  the  spirits  of  the  English  begun  to  droop,  and 
there  was  a  moment  when  a  trifle  would  have  induced  them  to  sub- 
mit.    From  this  despondency  they  were  temporarily  raised,  by  one 
of  those  unlooked  for  events  that  characterise  the  vicisitudes  of  battle. 
After  exchanging  the  ineft'ective  and  distant  broadsides,  already 
mentioned,  with  the  Scarborough,  the  Alliance  had  kept  standing 
off  and  on,  to  leeward  of  the  two  principal  ships,  out  of  the  direction 
of  their  shot,  when,  about  half  past  eight  she  appeared  crossing  the 
stern  of  the  Serapis  and  the  bow  of  the  Richard,  firing  at  such  a  dis- 
tance us  to  render  it  impossible  to  say  which  vessel  would  suffer  the 
most.     As  soon  as  she  had  drawn  out  of  the  range  of  her  own  guns, 
her  helm  was  put  up,  and  she  ran  down  near  a  mile  to  leeward, 
hovering  about,  until  the  firing  had  ceased  between  the  Pallas  and 
the  Scarborough,  when  she  came  within  hail  and  spoke  both  of  these 
vessels.     Captain  Cottineau  of  the  Pallas  earnestly  entreated  Cap- 
tain Landais  to  take  possession  of  his  prize,  and  allow  him  to  go  to 
the  assistance  of  the  Richard,  or  to  stretch  up  to  windward  in  the 
Alliance  himself,  and  succour  the  commodore. 

After  some  delay,  Captain  Landais  took  the  important  duty  of 


assisting  his  consort,  into  his  own  hands,  and  making 


two  long 


stretches,  under  his  topsails,  he  appeared,  about  the  time  at  Avhich 
we  have  arrived  in  the  narration  of  the  combat,  directly  to  windward 
of  the  two  ships,  with  the  head  of  the  Alliance  to  the  westward 


no 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


1  - 


Iforo  tlmliittor  nhiponcc  moro  opcufd  Ikt  fire,  <loiim«(nml  daiuajfe, 
at  Inist,  to  friciul  ntu\  foe.  Keipintf  nwny  a  littN-,  mid  Htill  continu- 
ing her  firr,  tlio  Allianco  was  «oon  on  the  larboard  quartir  of  the 
Richard,  an<l,  it  in  even  affirmed,  tliut  her  guns  were  discharged  until 
nhe  had  got  nearly  abeam.  .      ,  .      » „ 

Fifty  voices  now  hailed  to  tell  the  people  of  the  Alliance  that  thoy 
were  firing  into  the  wrong  ship,  and  three  liinterns  were  shown,  iii  a 
line,  on  tin-  off  side  of  the  Richard,  which  was  the  regular  signal  of 
recognition  for  a  night  action  An  officer  was  directed  to  hail,  and 
to  command  Captain  Landais  to  lay  the  Jiicmy  aboard,  and  the  <pie8- 
tion  being  put  whether  the  order  was  comprehended,  an  answer  wa« 
given  in  the  affirnmtive. 

As  the  moon  had  been  up  some  time,  it  was  impossible  not  to  dis- 
tinguish between  the  vessels,  th^;  Richard  being  all  black,  while  the 
Serapis  had  yellow  sides,  and  (he  impression  seems  to  have  been 
general  iu  the  former  vessel,  that  she  had  been  attacked  intentionally. 
At  the  discharge  of  the  first  guns  of  (lie  Alliance,  the  people  left  one 
or  two  of  the  twelves  on  board  the  Richard,  which  they  had  begun  to 
fight  again,  snying  that  the  Englishmen  in  the  Alliance  had  srot 
possession  of  the  sliip,  and  were  helping  tin;  enemy.  It  appears  tiiat 
this  discharge  dismounted  a  gun  or  two,  extinguished  several  lan- 
terns on  the  main  deck,  and  did  a  great  deal  of  damage  aloft. 

The  Alliance  hauled  off  to  some  distance,  keeping  always  on  the 
off  side  of  the  Richard,  and  soon  after  she  nappeanMl  edging  down 
on  (he  larboard  beam  of  her  consort,  hauling  up  athwart  the  bows 
of  that  ship  and  the  stern  of  her  antagonist.  On  this  occasion,  it  is 
affirmed  that  her  fire  recommenced,  when,  by  possibility,  the  shot 
could  only  reach  the  Serapis  throii,^h  the  Richard.  Ten  or  twelve 
men  appear  to  have  been  killed  ind  wounded  on  the  forecastle  of  the 
latter  ship,  which  was  crowded  at  tlie  time,  and  among  them  was  an 
officer  of  the  name  of  Caswell,  who,  with  his  dying  breath,  maintain- 
ed that  he  had  received  his  wound  by  the  fire  of  the  friendly  vessel. 

After  crossing  the  bows  of  the  Richard,  and  the  stern  of  the  Ser- 
apis,  delivering  grape  as  she  passed,  the  Alliance  ran  off  to  leeward, 
again  standing  off  and  on,  doing  nothing,  for  the  remainder  of  the 
combat. 

The  fire  of  the  Alliance  added  greatly  to  the  leaks  of  the  Richard, 
which  ship,  by  this  time,  had  received  so  much  water  through  the 
shot-holes,  as  to  begin  to  settle.  It  is  even  affirmed  .i  ;.!n",  wit- 
nesses, that  the  most  dangerous  liot-holes  onboard  tin'  'JJ-'iird, 
were  under  her  larboard  bow,  and  larboard  counter  ;  i  ictr  ^vhere 
they  could  not  have  been  received  from  the  fire  of  the  Serapis.  This 
evidence,  however,  is  not  unanswerable,  as  it  has  been  seen  that  the 
Sernpis  luffed  up  on  the  larbonrd-quarter  of  the  Richard  in  the  com- 
mencef^  of  the  action,  and,  forging  ahead,  was  subsequently  on  her 
larboard  ^  '"%  (Endeavouring  to  cross  her  fore-foot.  It  is  certainly  pos- 
sible ihnx  V  It  may  have  struck  the  Richard  in  the  places  mentioned, 
on  these  f.ccu  ions,  and  that,  as  the  ship  settled  in  the  water,  from 
other  leaks,  <  :e  holes  then  made  may  have  suddenly  increased  the 
On  ilie  other  hand,  if  the  Alliance  did  actually  fire  while 


i 


danger. 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


Ill 


I 


on  the  liitw  ruul  (|uiirtrr  '^ftlio  Richard,  m  npprnrM  by  n  umnn  of  un* 
contrmlictcd  tcMtiinoiiy,  tiic  duiigeroiiH  Mhot-holi'd  may  very  \\v\\  huve 
conic  from  that  Hhip. 

Let  thc!  injurirfl  liavc  b'^on  receitrd  from  what  qnnrtrr  they  mi^ht, 
■oon  after  thi!  Alliance  luul  i  un  tolee\i;ird,  an  alarm  wnft  nprcad  in 
tht'  Hichard  that  the  '^Mp  was  i^iii'-iiiju;.  Hotli  vcnmcN  had  Ik  en  on 
fire  Hcvcral  timofi,  and  M.ine  difRculty  lijid  been  cx|M!ri«,'nc«>d  in  ex- 
lin^iiiMhin^  thc  flamcH,  hnt  lure  was  a  ih'w  ciictny  to  contend  with, 
and,  as  tin;  informntion  came  fro  n  the  carpenter,  who.e^'  duty  it  was 
to  hoiiikI  the  pump*wellH,  it  protlnced  a  (;o(»d  deal  of  conHtcruation. 
The  Itichard  had  more  than  a  hnndred  Kni^dish  prisoners  on  hoard, 
and  th(!  master-at-arms,  in  the  linrry  of  the  moment,  lettl^'ni  all  up 
from  hclow,  in  order  to  save  their  lives.  In  the  confusion  of  such  a 
1  <  riic  at  nijjfht,  the  mae>ter  of  tiie  letter  of  manpie,  that  hud  been  taken 
«)fF  the  nortli  of  Scotland,  passed  through  a  port  of  the  Richard  into 
one  of  thc  Serapis,  wlien  he  reported  to  Captain  IV'arson,  tluit  a  few 
minutes  would  probably  decide  the  battle  in  his  favour,  or  curry  his 
enemy  down,  he  himself  having  been  liberated  in  order  to  save  his 
life.  .Tiist  at  this  instant  thc  gunner,  who  had  little  to  occupy  him  ut 
\m  quarters,  came  on  deck,  and  not  perceiving  Comuiodorf  .loncs, 
or  Mr.  Dale,  both  of  whom  were  occupied  with  the  lilx  ated  prison- 
ers, and  believing  the  master,  the  only  oth«'r  superior  1  >  had  in  the 
ship,  to  be  dead,  he  ran  up  on  the  poop  to  haul  down  lie  colours. 
Fortunately  the  flag-staff  had  been  shot  away,  and,  the  ens  ^n  already 
hanging  in  thc  water,  he  had  no  other  means  of  letting  In  >  intention 
to  submit  be  known,  than  by  calling  out  for  quarter.  Cap  uin  Pear- 
son now  hailed  to  inquire  if  the  Richard  demanded  quarter,  and  was 
answered  by  Commodore  Jones  himself,  in  the  negative.  It  is  proba- 
ble that  tlu!  reply  was  not  heard,  or,  if  heard,  supposed  to  come  from 
an  unauthorised  source,  for  encouraged  by  what  lie  hud  learned  from 
the  escaped  prisoner,  by  the  cry,  and  by  the  confusion  thntp  evailed 
in  the  Richard,  the  English  captain  directed  his  boarders  to  h.  called 
away,  and,  as  soon  as  mustered,  they  were  ordered  to  take  possession 
of  the  pri/c.  Some  of  the  men  actually  got  on  the  gunwale  >(  the 
latter  ship,  but  finding  boarders  ready  to  repel  boarders,  they  made  a 
precipitate  retreat.  All  this  time,  the  top-men  were  not  idle,  and 
thc  cnemv  were  soon  driven  below  again  with  loss. 

In  the  mean  while,  Mr.  Dale,  who  no  longer  had  a  gun  that  c  luld 
be  fougli',  mustered  the  prisoners  nt  the  pum))s,  turning  their  on- 
sternatioii  to  account,  and  probably  keeping  the  Richard  afloii  by 
thc  very  blunder  that  had  come  so  near  losing  her.  Thc  ships  \v  ere 
now  on  fire  again,  and  both  parties,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  guns 
on  CM  eh  side,  ceased  fighting,  in  order  to  subdue  this  common  enemy. 
In  tlie  course  of  the  combat,  the  Serapis  is  said  to  have  been  set  on 
fire  no  le«-s  than  twelve  times,  while,  towards  its  close,  as  will  be  seen 
in  the  se^piel,  the  Richard  was  burning  all  the  while. 

A  soon  as  order  was  restored  in  the  Richard,  after  the  call  for 
qunr'cr,  her  chimces  of  success  began  to  increase,  while  the  English, 
tiriveii  undercover,  almost  to  a  man,  appear  to  have  lost,  in  a  great 
(I'.'urce,  the  hope  of  victory.     Their  fire  materially  slackened,  while 


i  1 


112 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


x„ 


'i;' 


the  Richard  ajrain  brought  a  few  more  guns  to  bear ;  the  main-mast 
of  the  Serapis  began  to  totter,  and  lier  resistance,  in  general,  to  lessen. 
About  an  hour  after  the  explosion,  or  between  three  hours  and  three 
hours  and  a  half  after  the  first  gun  was  fired,  and  between  two  hours 
and  two  hours  and  a  half  after  the  ships  were  lashed  together,  Captain 
Pearson  hauled  down  the  colours  of  the  Serapis  with  his  own  hands, 
the  men  refusing 'o  expose  themselves  to  the  fire  of  the  Richard's  tops. 
As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  the  colours  of  the  English  had  been 
lowered,  Mr.  Dale  got  upon  the  gunwale  of  the  Richard,  and  laying 
hold  of  her  main  brace  pendant,  he  swung  himself  on  board  the  Ser- 
apis.    On  the  quarter-deck  of  the  latter  he  found  Captain  Pearson, 
aln^ost  alone,  that  gallant  officer  having  maintained  his  post,  through- 
out the  whole  of  this  close  and  murderous  conflict.     Just  as  Mr.  Dale 
addressed  the  English  captain,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Serapis 
came  up  from  below  to  inquire  if  the  Richard  had  struck,  her  fire 
having  entirely  ceased.     Mr.  Dale  now  gave  the  English  officer  to 
understand  that  he  was  mistaken  in  the  position  of  things,  the  Ser- 
apis having  struck  to  the  Richard,  and  not  the  Richard  to  the  Sera- 
pis.    Captain  Pearson   confirming  this   account,  his  subordinate 
acquiesced,  offering  to  go  below  and  silence  the  guns  that  were  still 
playing  ui)on  the  American  ship.     To  this  Mr.  Dale  would  not  con- 
sent, but  both  the  English  officers  were  immediately  passed  on  board 
the  Richard.     The  firing  was  then  stopped  below.     Mr.  Dale  had 
been  closely  followed  to  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Serapis,  by  Mr. 
Mayrant,  a  midshipman,  and  a  party  of  boarders,  and  as  the  former 
struck  the  quarter-deck  of  the  prize,  he  was  run  through  the  thigh, 
by  a  boarding-pike,  in  the  hands  of  a  man  in  the  waist,  who  was 
ignorant  of  the  surrender.     Thus  did  the  close  of  this  remarkable 
combat,  resemble  its  other  features  in  singularity,  blood  being  shed 
and  shot  fired,  while  the  boarding  officer  was  in  amicable  discourse 
with  his  prisoners ! 

As  soon  as  Captain  Pearson  was  on  board  the  Richard,  and  Mr. 
Dale  had  received  a  proper  number  of  hands  in  the  prize.  Com- 
modore Jones  ordered  the  lashings  to  be  cut,  and  the  vessels  to  be 
separated,  hailing  the  Serapis,  as  the  Richard  drifted  from  alongside 
of  her,  and  ordrring  her  to  follow  his  own  ship.  Mr.  Dale  now  had 
the  head  sails  of  the  Serapis  braced  sharp  aback,  and  the  wheel  put 
down,  but  the  vessel  refused  both  her  helm  and  her  canvass.  Sur- 
prised and  excited  at  this  circumstance,  the  gallant  lieutenant  sprang 
from  the  binnacle  on  which  he  had  seated  himself,  and  fell  at  his 
length  on  the  deck.  He  had  been  severely  wounded  in  the  leg,  by  a 
splinter,  and  until  this  moment  was  ignorant  of  the  injury  !  He  was 
replaced  on  the  biimacle,  when  the  master  of  the  Serapis  came  up 
and  acquainted  him  with  the  fact  that  the  ship  was  anchored. 

By  this  time,  Mr.  Lunt,  the  second  lieutenant,  who  had  been  absent 
in  the  pilot  boat,  had  got  alongside,  and  was  on  board  the  prize. 
To  this  officer  Mr.  Dale  n(»w  consigned  the  charge  of  the  Serapis, 
the  cable  was  cut,  and  the  ship  followed  the  Richard,  as  ordered. 

Although  this  protracted  and  bloody  combat  had  now  ended, 
neither  the  danger  nor  the  labours  of  the  victors  were  over.     The 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


113 


Richard  was  both  sinking  and  on  fire.  The  flames  had  got  within 
the  ceiling,  and  extended  so  far  that  they  menaced  the  magazine, 
while  all  the  pumps,  in  constant  use,  could  barely  keep  the  water  at 
the  same  level.  Had  it  depended  on  the  exhausted  people  of  the  two 
combatants,  the  ship  must  have  soon  sunk,  but  the  other  vessels  of 
the  squadron  sent  hands  on  board  the  Richard,  to  assist  at  the  pumps. 
So  imminent  did  the  danger  from  the  fire  become,  that  all  the  powder 
was  got  on  deck,  to  prevent  an  explosion.  In  this  manner  did  the 
night  of  the  battle  pass,  with  one  gang  always  at  the  pumps,  and 
another  contending  with  the  flames,  until  about  ten  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon  of  the  24th,  when  the  latter  were  got  under.  After  the 
action,  eight  or  ten  Englishmen  in  the  Richard,  stole  a  boat  from  the 
Serapis,  and  ran  away  with  it,  landing  at  Scarborough.  Several  of 
the  men  were  so  alarmed  with  the  condition  of  their  ship,  as  to  jump 
overboard  and  swim  to  the  other  vessels. 

When  the  day  dawned,  an  examination  was  made  into  the  situa- 
tion of  the  Richard.  Abaft,  on  a  line  with  those  guns  of  the  Serapis 
that  had  not  been  disabled  by  the  explosion,  the  timbers  were  found 
to  be  nearly  all  beaten  in,  or  beaten  out,  for  in  this  respect  there  was 
little  difference  between  the  two  sides  of  the  ship ;  and  it  was  said 
that  her  poop  and  upper  decks  would  have  fallen  into  the  gun-room, 
but  for  a  few  futtocks  that  had  been  missed.  Indeed,  so  large  was 
the  vacuum,  that  most  of  the  shot  fired  from  this  part  of  the  Serapis, 
at  the  close  of  the  action,  must  have  gone  through  the  Richard  with- 
out touching  any  thing.  The  rudder  was  cut  from  the  sternpost, 
and  the  transoms  were  nearly  driven  out  of  her.  All  the  after  part 
of  the  ship,  in  particular,  that  was  below  the  quarter-deck,  was  torn 
to  pieces,  and  nothing  had  saved  those  stationed  on  the  quarter- 
deck, but  the  impossibility  of  sufficiently  elevating  guns  that  almost 
touched  their  object. 

The  result  of  this  examination  was  to  convince  every  one  of  the 
impossibility  of  carrying  the  Richard  into  port,  in  the  event  of  its 
coming  on  to  blow.  Commodore  Jones  was  advised  to  remove  his 
wounded  while  the  weather  continued  moderate,  and  he  reluctantly 
gave  the  order  to  commence.  The  following  night  and  the  morning 
of  the  succeeding  day  were  employed  in  executing  this  imperious 
duty,  and  about  nine  o'clock,  the  officer  of  the  Pallas,  Avho  was  in 
charge  of  the  ship,  with  a  party  at  the  pumps,  finding  that  the  water 
had  reached  the  lower  deck,  reluctantly  abandoned  her.  About  ten, 
the  Bon  Homme  Richard  wallowed  heavily,  gave  a  roll,  and  settled 
slowly  into  the  sea,  bows  foremost. 

The  Serapis  suffered  much  less  than  the  Richard,  the  guns  of  the 
latter  having  been  so  light,  and  so  soon  silenced ;  but  no  sooner  were 
the  ships  separated,  than  her  main-mast  fell,  bringing  down  with  it 
the  mi/en-top-mast.  Though  jury-masts  were  erected,  tl;c  ship 
drove  about,  nearly  helpless,  in  the  North  Sea,  until  the  6th  of  Oc- 
tober, when  the  remains  of  the  squadron,  with  the  two  prizes,  got 
into  the  Texel,  the  port  to  which  they  had  been  ordered  to  repair. 

In  the  combat  between  the  Richard  and  the  Serapis,  an  unusual 
number  of  lives  was  lost,  though  no  regular  authentic  report  appears 

VOL.    I.  8 


114 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


i 


to  have  been  given  by  either  side.  Captain  Pearson  states  the  loss 
of  the  Richard  at  about  300  in  killed  and  wounded ;  a  total  that  would 
have  included  very  nearly  all  hands,  and  which  was  certainly  a  great 
exaggeration,  or  at  least  a  great  mistake.  According  to  a  muster-roll 
of  the  officers  and  people  of  the  Richard,  excluding  the  marines, 
which  is  still  in  existence,  42  men  were  killed,  or  died  of  their  wounds 
shortly  after  the  battle,  and  41  were  wounded.  This  would  make  a 
total  of  83,  fortius  portion  of  the  crew,  which,  on  the  roll  amounted 
to  227  souls.  But  many  of  the  persons  named  on  this  list  are  known 
not  to  have  been  in  the  action  at  all;  such  as  neither  of  the  junior 
lieutenants,  and  some  thirty  men  that  were  with  them,  besides  those 
absent  in  prizes.  As  there  were  a  few  volunteers  on  board,  however, 
who  were  not  mustered,  if  we  set  down  200  as  the  number  of  the 
portion  of  the  regular  crow  that  was  in  the  action,  we  shall  probably 
not  be  far  from  the  truth.  By  estimating  the  soldiers  that  remained 
on  board  at  120,  and  observing  the  same  proportion  for  their  casual- 
ties, we  shall  get  40  for  the  result,  which  will  make  a  total  of  132, 
as  the  entire  loss  of  the  Richard.  It  is  known,  however,  that,  in  the 
commencement  of  the  action,  the  soldiers,  or  marines,  suffered  out 
of  proportion  to  the  rest  of  the  crew,  and  general  report  having  made 
the  gross  loss  of  the  Richard  150  men,  we  are  disposed  to  believe  that 
it  was  not  far  from  the  fact. 

Captain  Pearson  reported  a  part  of  his  loss  at  117  men,  admitting, 
at  the  same  time,  that  there  were  many  killed  and  wounded  whose 
names  he  could  not  discover.  It  is  probable  that  the  loss  of  men,  in 
the  two  ships,  was  about  equal,  and  that  nearly,  or  quite  half  of  all 
those  who  were  engaged,  were  either  killed  or  wounded.  Commo- 
dore Jones,  in  a  private  letter,  written  some  time  after  the  occurrence, 
gives  an  opinion,  however,  that  the  loss  of  the  Richard  was  less  than 
that  of  the  Serapis.  That  two  vessels  of  so  nuich  force  should  lie 
lashed  together  more  than  two  hours,  making  use  of  artillery,  mus- 
ketry, and  all  the  other  means  of  annoyance  known  to  the  warfare 
of  the  day,  and  not  do  even  greater  injury  to  the  crews,  strikes  us  with 
astonishment;  but  the  fact  must  be  ascribed  to  the  peculiarities  of 
the  combat,  which,  by  driving  most  of  the  English  under  cover  so 
early  in  the  battle,  and  by  keeping  the  Americans  above  the  line  of 
fire  of  their  enemies,  in  a  measure  protected  each  party  from  the 
missiles  of  the  other.  As  it  was,  it  proved  a  murderous  and  san- 
guinary conflict,  though  its  duration  would  probably  have  been  much 
shorter,  and  its  character  still  more  bloody,  but  for  these  unusual 
circumstances.* 

*  The  writer  has  trivon  the  particulars  of  this  ccle])ratod  sca-fisrht  in  clotnil.  on  acrount 
of  the  crreat  interest  that  has  always  been  attarlied  to  the  subjoft,  no  less  than  from  a  desire 
to  corrcet  many  of  the  popular  errors  that  have  so  lonir  existed  in  connexion  with  its 
incidents.  In  framins  his  own  account,  he  has  followed  what  to  him  have  appeared  to 
be  the  best  authorities.  Scarcely  any  two  of  the  eye-witnesses  acfree  in  all  their  facts, 
but- by  dint  of  examination,  the  writer  has  been  enabled  to  discover,  as  he  believes, 
wlieru  the  weight  of  credible  testimony  and  [irohability  lits,  and  has  usoil  it  arcordintrly. 
Commodore  D.ile,  a  witness  even-  way  entitled  to  respect,  .so  far  as  his  position  enabled 
him  to  note  occurrences,  was  kind  enonirh  while  livinsr  to  describe  to  the  writer  the 
martrruvres  of  the  ships,  which  it  is  hoped  have  now  been  friven  in  a  way  that  will  render 
tliem  intelligible  to  seamen.  There  are  but  two  leadintr  circum.stances  of  this  sort  that, 
to  the  writer,  appear  doubtful.    The  Alliance  thrice  approached,  each  time  firing  into 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTOR;'. 


115 


CHAPTER  X. 


!  ! 


Arrival  of  the  Serapis  in  Holland — Paul  Jones  takes  command  of.  the  Alliance,  and  ia 
forced  to  put  to  sea — Capt.  Landais  is  discharged  the  navy — Commodore  Jones  in 
tlie  Ariel,  returns  to  America — Sketch  of  liis  life — Vote  of  thanks  by  CongreHS — Re- 
ceives command  of  the  America — Several  captures  by  the  Deane,  Capt.  Samuel 
Nicholson — Capture  of  the  Active — Action  with  the  Duft^— Expedition  against  the 
British  post  on  the  Penobscot— Loss  of  all  the  vessels  engaged  therein. 

The  arrival  of  Paul  Jones,  with  his  prizes,  in  Holland,  excited  a 
great  deal  of  interest  in  the  diplomtitic  world.  The  English  de- 
manded that  the  prisoners  should  be  released,  and  that  Jones  himself 
should  be  given  up  as  a  pirate.  The  Dutch  government,  though 
well  disposed  to  favour  the  Americans,  was  not  prepared  for  war, 
and  it  was  induced  to  temporise.  A  long  correspondence  followed, 
which  terminated  in  one  of  those  political  expedients  that  are  so 
common,  and  in  which  the  pains  and  penalties  of  avowing  the  truth, 
are  avoided  by  means  of  a  mystification.  The  Serapis,  which  had 
been  re-masted  and  equipped,  was  transferred  to  France,  as  was 
the  Scarborough,  while  Commodore  Jones  took  command  of  the 
Alliance,  Captain  Landais  having  been  suspended,  and  was  ordered 
to  quit  the  country. 

It  would  seem  that  there  were  two  parties  in  Holland :  that  of  the 
prince  and  that  of  the  people.  With  the  latter  the  American  cause 
was  popular;  but  the  former  employed  an  admiral  at  the  Texel, 
who,  after  a  vexatious  course,  finally  succeeded  in  forcing  the  Al- 
liance to  put  to  sea,  in  the  face  of  a  fleet  of  enemies,  which  was 
anxiously  awaiting  her  appearance.  The  Alliance  went  to  sea  on  the 
27th  of  December,  1779,  and  reached  the  roads  of  Groix  again  in 
safety,  on  the  10th  of  February,  1780.     She  passed  down  the  Chan- 

both  the  combatants ;  but  the  accr  tnts,  or  rather  testimony,— -for  there  are  many  certifi- 
cates given  by  the  officers  not  only  of  the  Richard,  but  of  the  Alliance  herself,  Pallas,  &c, — 
is  80  obscure  and  confused,  that  it  \»  diificult  to  got  at  the  truth  of  the  manner,  order,  and 
exact  time  in  which  these  attacks  wore  made.  With  the  view  to  give  no  opinion  as  to 
the  precise  time  of  the  last  firing  of  the  Alliance,  the  writer  has  condensed  the  account 
of  all  her  proceedings  into  one,  though  he  inclines  to  think  that  the  second  attack  of  this 
ship  may  have  occurred  a  little  later  in  the  contest  than  would  appear  from  the  manner 
in  which  it  is  told  in  the  narrative.  Tlie  word  may  is  used  from  uncertainty,  most  of  the 
testimony,  perhaps,  placing  the  occurrence  in  the  order  of  time  given  in  the  text.  Cap- 
lain  Pearson  says,  or  is  made  to  say,  "in  his  oiRcial  report,  that  the  Alliance  "  kept  sailing 
round  us  the  whole  action,  and  raking  us  fore  and  aft,"  &c.  This  statement  is  contra- 
dicted by  the  formal  certificates  of  nearly  every  oflicer  in  the  Richard,  by  persons  on 
board  the  Alliance,  by  spectators  in  boats,  as  well  as  by  officers  of  the  other  vessels  near. 
The  first  lieutenant  and  master  of  the  Alliance  herself  admit  that  they  were  never  on  the 
offside  of  the  Serapis  at  all,  and  of  course  their  ship  never  could  have  gone  round  her. 
They  also  say  that  they  engaged  the  Scarborough,  at  very  long  shot,  for  a  short  time ;  a 
fact  that  Captain  Pioiry  of  the  Scarborough,  corroborates.  They  add,  moreover,  that 
their  ship  was  a  long  time  aloof  from  the  combat,  and  that  she  only  fired  three  broadsides, 
or  parts  of  broadsides,  at  the  Richard  and  Serapis.  From  the  testimony,  there  is  little 
doubt  that  tlie  Alliance  did  materially  more  injury  to  the  Ricliard  than  to  the  Serapis; 
thonsh,  as  Captain  Pearson  conld  not  have  known  this  fad  at  the  time,  it  is  highly 
prohal)le  that  her  proximity  may  have  infiuenccd  that  officer  in  inducing  hira  to  lower 
his  flag. 

Tlie  second  point  is  tlio  fact  whether  the  Scarborough  raked  tho  Richard  before  she 
was  herself  engaged  wltli  the  other  ships.  The  writer  is  of  opinion  that  she  did,  while 
he  admits  that  the  matter  is  involved  in  doubt. 


-;"'•'■  S 


116 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1780. 


t    '.' 


nel,  was  near  enough  to  the  squadron  in  the  Downs  to  examine  its 
force,  was  several  times  chased,  and  made  a  short  cruise  in  the  Bay 
of  Biscay,  after  having  touched  in  Spain.  Captain  Conyngham, 
who  had  been  captured  in  a  privateer  and  escaped,  joined  the  Al- 
liance, and  went  round  to  I'Orient  in  the  ship. 

Although  it  will  be  anticipating  the  events  of  another  year,  we 
shall  finish  the  history  of  this  vessel,  so  far  as  she  was  connected 
with  the  officer  who  first  commanded  her.  Captain  Landais.  This 
gentleman  had  been  sent  for  to  Paris,  to  account  for  his  conduct  to 
the  American  minister,  and  subsequently  his  claim  to  command  the 
Alliance  was  referred  to  Mr.  Arthur  Lee,  who  was  on  the  spot,  and 
who  had  long  been  in  Europe,  as  a  conspicuous  agent  of  the  govern- 
ment. The  decision  of  this  commissioner  restored  the  Alliance  to 
Captain  Lundais,  on  the  ground  that  his  command  having  been 
given  to  him  by  the  highest  authority  of  the  country,  a  vote  of  Con- 
gress, he  could  not  legally  be  deprived  of  it  by  any  subordinate 
authority.  In  June,  Captain  Landais  sailed  in  the  ship  for  America, 
where  she  was  given  to  an  officer  better  fitted  to  show  her  excellent 
qualities,  and  who,  in  the  end,  succeeded  in  redeeming  her  character. 
During  the  passage  home.  Captain  Landais  was  deposed  from  the 
command,  under  the  idea  that  he  was  insane,  and  soon  after  he  was 
disciiarged  from  the  navy.  It  is  thought  that  the  absence  of  Com- 
modore Jones,  alone,  prevented  his  receiving  severe  punishment. 

Commodore  Jones,  anxious  to  get  back  to  America,  took  command 
of  the  Ariel  20,  a  little  ship  that  the  king  of  France  lent  to  his  allies, 
to  aid  in  transporting  military  supplies;  and  in  this  vessel,  with  a 
portion  of  the  officers  and  men  who  had  belonged  to  the  Richard,  he 
sailed  from  under  Groix  on  the  7th  of  September.  When  a  day  or 
two  out,  the  Ariel  encountered  a  severe  gale,  in  which  she  came  near 
being  lost.  The  ship  was  so  pressed  upon  by  the  wind,  that  her 
lower  yard-arms  frequently  dipped,  and  though  an  anchor  was  let 
go,  she  refused  to  tend  to  it.  In  order  to  keep  her  from  foundering, 
the  fore-mast  was  cut  away,  and  the  heel  of  the  main-mast  having 
worked  out  of  the  step,  that  spar  followed,  bringing  down  with  it  the 
mizen-mast. 

Returning  to  I'Orient  to  refit,  the  Ariel  sailed  a  second  time  for 
America,  on  the  18th  of  December.  During  the  passage,  she  fell  in 
with  an  enemy  of  about  her  own  size,  in  the  night,  and  after  much 
conversation,  a  short  combat  followed,  when  the  English  ship  inti- 
mated that  she  had  struck,  but  taking  advantage  of  her  position,  she 
made  sail  and  escaped.  Some  unaccountable  mistake  was  made 
by,  or  an  extraordinary  hallucination  a|)pears  to  have  come  over. 
Commodore  .Tones,  in  reference  to  this  affair,  for,  in  his  journal,  he 
speaks  of  his  enemy  as  having  been  an  English  twenty-gun  ship 
called  the  Triumph,  and  the  result  as  a  victory.  The  Triumph,  if 
such  was  truly  the  name  of  the  English  ship,  was  probably  a  letter 
of  marque,  unable  to  resist  a  vessel  of  war  of  any  force,  and  though 
not  free  from  the  imputation  of  tronchery,  she  escaped  by  out-ma- 
noeuvring the  Ariel.*     On  the  18th  of  lebruaiy,  1781,  after  an 

*  Private  communioatioii  of  the  late  Commodore  Dale,  to  the  writer. 


fr 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


117 


absence  of  moie  than  three  years,  Paul  Jones  reached  Philadelphia 
in  safety.* 

Before  we  return  to  the  American  seas,  and  to  the  more  regular 
incidents  of  the  year  1779,  we  will  add  that,  after  an  inquiry  into 
the  conduct  of  Captain  Jones,  as  it  was  connected  with  all  his  pro- 
ceedings in  Europe,  Congress  gave  him  a  vote  of  thanks,  and,  by  a 

*  Jolin  Paul  was  born  on  the  6th  of  July,  1747,  at  Arbigland,  on  the  Frith  of  Solway, 
in  the  kintfdom  of  Scotland.  His  father  was  the  gardener  of  Mr.  Craik,  a  gentleman  of 
that  vicinity.  At  the  age  of  twelve,  the  boy  was  apprenticed  to  a  ship-master  in  the  Vir- 
ginia trade,  and  lie  made  his  appeiirance  in  America,  in  consequence,  when  in  his  thir- 
teenth year.  An  elder  brother  had  married  and  settled  in  Virginia,  and  from  this  time 
young  Paul  appears  to  have  had  views  of  the  same  sort.  The  failure  of  his  master  in- 
duced him  to  give  up  the  indentures  of  the  apprentice,  and  we  soon  find  the  latter  on 
board  a  slaver.  The  master  and  mate  of  the  vessel  he  was  in,  dying,  Paul  took  charge 
of  her,  and  brought  her  into  port ;  and  from  that  time  he  appears  to  have  sailed  in  com- 
mand. About  the  year  1770,  he  caused  a  man  named  Mungo  Maxwell  to  be  flogged  for 
misconduct,  and  the  culprit  made  a  complaint  of  ill-treatment,  menacing  a  prosecution. 
The  complaint  was  rejected  by  the  local  authorities  (West  Indies)  as  frivolous;  but,  not 
long  after.  Maxwell  went  to  sea  in  another  ship,  and  died  rather  suddenly.  When  the 
fact  became  known,  the  enemies  of  Paul  circulated  a  refiort  that  the  death  of  this  man 
was  owing  to  the  ill-treatment  he  had  received  when  punished  by  his  former  commander. 
Although  this  rumour  was  completely  disproved  in  the  end,  it  raised  a  prejudice  against 
the  young  seaman,  and,  at  a  later  day,  when  he  became  conspicuous,  it  was  used  against 
him,  for  political  effect,  by  those  who  ought  to  have  been  superior  to  injustice  of  so  low 
a  character. 

Mr.  Paul  was  soured  at  this  ill-treatment,  and,  in  a  manner  abandoned  his  native  coun- 
try. In  1773,  his  brother  filed,  and  ho  went  to  Virginia  to  settle,  with  the  intention  of 
qtilttlng  the  seas.  Here,  for  some  reason  that  is  unknown,  he  added  the  name  of  Jones 
to  his  two  others.  The  hostilities  of  177.5,  however,  brought  him  forward  again,  and  he 
was  the  senior  lieutenant  ever  commissioned  regularly.  In  the  service  of  Congrt>ss.  As 
this  was  before  the  declaration  of  Independence,  the  relative  rank  was  not  established ; 
but  In  October,  1776,  his  name  appears  on  the  list  as  the  eighteenth  captain. 

His  first  cruise  was  in  ihe  Alfred  24,  Captain  Saltonstall,  the  ship  that  bore  the  broad 
pennant  of  Commodore  Hopkins,  and  his  first  engagement  was  that  with  the  Glasgow. 
From  the  Alfred,  he  was  transferred  to  the  sloop  Providence  12,  as  her  captain.  Hethen 
commanded  the  Alfred  24.  In  1777  he  was  appointed  to  the  Hanger  18,  a  crank,  clumsy 
ship,  with  a  gun-deck,  but  no  armament  above,  and  a  dull  sailer.  In  1778,  after  the  cruise 
in  tile  Irish  Channel,  in  \\'hlch  he  took  the  Drake,  he  gave  up  the  command  of  the  Ranger, 
and  In  1779,  obtained  that  of  the  squadron,  under  the  celebrated  concordat.  His  subse- 
quent momements  are  to  be  traced  in  the  text. 

In  1782,  Captain  .Tones  was  launchiul  in  the  America  74,  and  the  same  day  delivered 
her  up  to  the  Chevalier  de  Martlgne,  thelate  commander  of  the  Magnlfique,  the  ship  she 
was  now  to  ref)lace.  After  this  he  made  a  cruise  In  the  French  Heet,  as  a  volunteer,  in 
which  situation  he  was  found  by  the  peace.  In  November,  1''"'5,  he  sailed  for  France 
with  a  commission  to  negotiate  for  the  n^covery  of  prize-money  In  different  parts  of  Eu- 
rope. In  1787  he  came  to  America  on  business,  but  returned  to  Europe  In  the  course 
of  the  same  season.  He  now  went  to  the  noi'th  on  business  connected  with  his  prizes. 
About  this  time  ho  received  some  proposals  to  enter  the  Russian  navy,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1788  he  obtained  the  rank  of  rear-admiral  accordingly.  Shortly  after  he  was  placed 
in  an  imiinrtiint  command  against  the  Turks,  in  which  situation  he  is  said  to  have  render- 
ed material  services.  But  personal  hostility  drove  him  from  Russia  In  1789.  He  returned 
to  Paris,  retaining  his  rank,  and  pensioned.  From  this  time  he  remained  in  France  and 
the  adjacent  countries  of  Europe,  until  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Paris,  on  the  I8th  of 
July,  1792.  A  conuTiisslon  appointing  liim  the  agent  of  the  American  government  to 
treat  with  Aliriers,  arrived  after  ho  was  dead. 

That  Paul  Jones  was  a  remarkable  man,  cannot  be  justly  questioned.  He  had  a  re- 
spectable English  education,  and,  after  his  anibition  had  been  awakened  by  success,  he 
appears  to  have  paid  attention  to  the  Intellectual  parts  of  his  profession.  In  his  enter- 
prises are  to  be  (lis(;overed  much  of  that  boldness  of  conception  tbat  marks  a  great  naval 
captain,  though  his  most  celebrated  battle  is  probably  the  one  in  which  he  evinced  no 
other  very  liigli  ([nality  than  that  of  an  invincible  resolution  to  conquer.  Mo.st  of  the  mis- 
fortunes of  the  Hon  Homme  Richard,  however,  may  be  very  fairly  attributed  to  the  in- 
subordination of  l>is  ea[)tains,  and  to  the  bad  c<iuipment  of  his  own  vessel.  The  expedi- 
ent of  running  the  Serapis  aboard  was  one  like  himself,  and  it  was  the  only  chance  of 
victory  that  was  left. 

Paul  Jones  wasa  man  rather  under  than  above  the  mid-dle  size,  and  his  countenance 
has  been  described  as  po-ssessing  nuich  o.'"  that  sedatene.ss  which  mai'ksdeep  enthusiasm. 


,1   !.       « 


118 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


>  ,i,« 


ii 
i 

i 

Y- 

:.% 

^\     1 
■^      1 

'0    1 

formal  resolution,  bestowed  on  him  the  command  of  the  America  74, 
the  only  one  of  the  six  ships  of  that  class  that  was  ever  laid  down 
under  the  law  of  1776.  In  order  to  dispose  of  this  branch  of  the 
subject  at  once,  it  may  be  well  to  say  here,  that  the  America  never 
got  to  sea  under  the  national  colours,  Congress  presenting  the  ship 
to  their  ally,  Louis  XVI.,  to  replace  the  Magnifique  74,  which  had 
been  lost  in  the  port  of  Boston.  This  friendly  offering  was  made 
by  resolution,  September  the  3d,  1782,  and  it  being  now  near  the 
end  of  the  war,  Paul  Jones  never  got  to  sea  again  in  the  service.  In 
consequence  of  the  America's  having  been  presented  to  France, 
while  still  on  the  stocks,  the  United  States  properly  possessed  no 
two-decked  ship  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

To  return  to  the  more  regular  order  of  events. 

During  the  summer  of  1779,  the  Deane  32,  Captain  Samuel  Nich- 
olson, and  the  Boston  24,  Captain  Tucker,  made  a  cruise  in  com- 
pany. In  August  of  that  year,  these  two  ships  took  many  prizes, 
thou"-h  no  action  of  moment  occurred.  Among  those  were  the  Sand- 
wich, (a  packet,)  16,  two  privateers,  with  the  Glencairn  20,  and  the 
Thorn  18.     The  two  last  vessels  were  letters  of  marque. 

In  the  spring  of  this  year,  the  Providence  12,  Captain  Hacker, 
took  a  vessel  of  equal  force,  called  the  Diligent,  after  a  sharp  action. 
The  particulars  of  this  engagement  are  lost,  though  they  are  known 
to  have  been  highly  creditable  to  the  American  officer.  The  Dili- 
gent appears  to  have  been  taken  into  the  service. 

A  bloody  action  also  occulred,  about  the  same  time,  between  the 
Massachusetts  state  cruiser  Hazard  14,  Captain  John  Foster  Wil- 
liams, and  the  Active  18,  a  vessel  that  is  supposed  to  have  belonged 
to  the  king.  The  combat  lasted  half  an  hour,  and  was  determined 
in  favour  of  the  Hazard.  The  Active  is  said  to  have  had  33  killed 
and  wounded,  and  the  Hazard  8.  Shortly  after  this  handsome 
affair,  Captain  Williams  was  appointed  to  the  ship  Protector  20, 
belonirinir  to  the  same  state,  and  in  June  he  had  a  severe  action  with 
one  of  those  heavy  letters  of  marque,  it  was  so  much  the  custom  to 

Thero  is  no  doubt  that  liis  eminence  arose  from  the  force  of  his  convictions,  rather  than 
from  his  power  of  combining:,  though  his  reasoning  faculties  were  respectable.  His  as- 
sociations in  Paris  appear  to  have  awakened  a  taste  which,  whenever  it  comes  late  in 
life,  is  almost  certain  to  come  attended  with  exaggeration.  Personally  he  would  seem  to 
have  been  vain ;  a  very  excusable  foible  in  one  of  his  education  and  previous  habits,  that 
was  suddenly  exposed  to  the  flattery  and  seductions  of  Parisian  society.  He  never  mar- 
ried, though  he  was  not  averse  to  the  sex,  as  appears  from  his  letters,  poetic  effusions,  and 
gallantries.  An  affectation  of  a  literary  taste,  that  expended  itself  principally  in  homage 
to  those  he  admired,  fomKul  indeed  one  of  his  principal  weaknesses. 

In  battle,  Paul  .Tones  was  brave ;  in  enterprise,  hardy  and  original;  in  victory,  mild 
and  generous  ;  in  motives,  much  dispos(.'dtodisintorestediies3,thougli  ambitious  of  renown 
and  covetous  of  distinction  ;  in  his  pecuniary  relations,  liberal ;  in  his  affections,  natural 
and  sincere  ;  and  in  his  temper,  except  in  thosecases  which  assailed  his  reputation,  .pist 
and  forgiving.  Ho  wanted  the  qiiietsclfres]K'ctof  a  man  capable  of  meeting  actsofin- 
justicowith  composure  and  dignity;  and  his  complaints  of  ill-treatment  and  neglect,  for 
which  thero  was  sufficient  foundation,  probably  lost  him  favour  both  in  France  and 
America.  Had  circumstances  put  him  in  a  situation  of  high  command,  tliere  is  little 
doubt  that  he  would  have  left  a  name  unsurpassed  by  that  of  any  naval  captain,  or  have 
perishe;!  in  endeavouring  to  obtain  it. 

From  the  American  government,  Paul  .Toni's  reneivod  many  proofs  of  commendation. 
Louis  X\'I.  created  liini  a  luiJLilit  of  the  order  of  Merit,  and  C^alliarine  of  llus,  'a  con- 
ferred on  liim  the  riband  of  St.  Aune.  He  also  ruci.'ived  other  niark^  of  disliuctio  with 
a  pension  from  Denmark. 


I  1 


1779.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


119 


send  to  sea,  at  the  period  of  which  we  nre  writing,  called  the  DnfT; 
u  ship  siiid  to  have  been  quite  equal  in  force  to  the  Protector.  After 
a  sharp  contest  of  more  than  an  hour,  the  Duff  blew  up.  The  Pro- 
tector succeeded  in  saving  55  of  her  crew,  having  had  6  of  her  own 
people  killed  and  wounded  in  the  battle.  Taking  and  inatining 
many  prizes,  the  Protector  had  a  narrow  escape  from  capture,  by 
falling  in  with  the  enem3''s  frigate  Thames  32,  from  which  ship, 
however,  she  escaped,  after  a  sharp  running  fight,  in  which  the 
Thames  was  much  crippled  aloft.  On  returning  to  port.  Captain 
Williams,  who  bore  a  high  reputation  as  an  officer  and  a  seaman, 
was  immediately  engaged  in  the  expedition  that  it  is  our  duty  to 
record  next,  and  which  proved  to  be  much  the  most  disastrous  affair 
in  which  American  seamen  were  ever  engaged. 

The  enemy  having  established  a  post  on  the  Penobscot,  and  placed 
a  strong  garrison  in  it,  the  State  of  Massachusetts  determined  to 
drive  thenj  from  its  territory,  without  calling  upon  Congress  for  as- 
sistance. As  the  country  was  then  nearly  a  wilderness,  it  is  probable 
a  feeling  of  pride  induced  this  step,  it  being  worthy  of  remark,  that 
after  General  Gage  was  expelled  from  Boston,  the  enemy  had,  in 
no  instance,  attempted  to  maintain  any  other  post  than  this,  which 
lay  on  a  remote  and  uninhabited  frontier,  within  the  territories  of 
New  England.  For  this  purpose,  Massachusetts  made  a  draft  of 
1500  of  her  own  militia,  and  got  an  order  for  the  U.  S.  ship  Warren 
32,  Captain  Saltonstall,  the  Diligent  14,  Captain  Brown,  and  the 
Providence  12,  Captain  Hacker,  to  join  the  expedition;  these  being 
the  only  regular  cruisers  employed  on  the  occasion.  Three  vessels 
belonging  to  Massachusetts  were  also  put  under  the  orders  of  Cap- 
tain Saltonstall,  and  a  force  consisting  of  thirteen  privateers  was 
added.  In  addition  there  were  many  transports  and  store-vessels. 
General  Lovel  commanded  the  brigade. 

This  armament  made  its  appearance  off  the  Penobscot  on  the 
25th  of. Inly.  While  the  militia  were  making  their  descent,  the 
Warren,  and  another  vessel  of  some  force,  engaged  the  enemy's 
works.  The  cannonadinjr  was  severe,  and  the  Wa'  is  said  to 
have  had  30  men  killed  and  wounded,  in  the  action  with  the  bat- 
teries, and  in  landing  the  troops.  The  latter  duty,  however,  was 
successfidly  performed  by  General  Lovel,  with  a  loss  of  about  a 
hundred  njen,  including  nil  arms.  Finding  it  impossible  to  carry 
the  place  with  his  present  force,  the  commanding  officer  now  sent 
for  reinforcements.  On  the  13th  of  August,  while  waiting  for  a  re- 
turn of  the  messenger,  information  was  received  from  the  Tyranni- 
cido,  the  look-out  vessel,  that  Sir  George  Collier,  in  the  Rainbow  44, 
accomjianied  by  four  other  vessels  of  war,  was  entering  the  bay. 
The  troops  immediately  re-embarked,  and  a  general,  hurried  and 
confnsod  flight  ensued.  The  British  squadron,  consisting  of  five 
vessels  of  war,  quickly  appeared,  and  a  pursuit  up  the  river  was 
commenced,  and  continued  for  a  long  distance.  The  enemy  soon 
got  near  enough  to  use  their  chase  guns,  and  the  fire  was  returned 
by  the  Americans.  It  was  undoubtedly  the  wish  of  Captain  Salton- 
stall, to  reach  the  shallow  water  before  he  was  overtaken,  but  find- 


120 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1779. 


I 

■I 


ing  this  impracticable,  he  run  his  ship  ashore,  and  set  her  on  fire. 
Others  followed  this  example,  and  most  of  the  vessels  were  destroyed, 
though  three  or  four  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

Captain  Saltonstall  was  much,  and,  in  some  respects,  perhaps, 
justly  censured,  for  this  disaster,  though  it  is  to  be  feared  that  it 
arose  more  from  that  habit  of  publicity,  which  is  peculiar  to  all  coun- 
tries much  influenced  by  popular  feeling,  than  from  any  other  cause. 
Had  a  due  regard  been  paid  to  secrecy,  time  mif^it  have  been  gained 
in  that  remote  region,  to  eft'ect  the  object,  before  a  sufficient  force 
could  be  collected  to  go  against  the  assailants.  In  a  military  sense, 
the  principal  faults  appeared  to  have  been  a  miscalculation  of  means, 
at  the  commencement,  and  a  neglect  to  raise  such  batteries,  as 
might  have  protected  the  shipping  against  the  heavy  vessels  of  the 
enemy.  It  could  not  surely  have  been  thought  that  privateers, 
armed  with  light  guns,  were  able  to  resist  two-deckers,  and  the  fact, 
that  the  English  had  a  fleet  of  such  vessels  on  the  coast  was  gener- 
ally known.  The  Warren,  the  largest  vessel  among  the  Americans, 
was  a  common  frigate  of  thirty-  two  guns,  and  had  a  main-deck  bat- 
tery of  twelve-pounders.  Whatever  might  have  been  attempted  by 
a  regular  force,  Was  put  out  of  the  question  by  the  insubordination 
of  the  privateers-men,  each  vessel  seeking  her  own  safety,  as  her 
captain  saw  best. 

The  troops  and  seamen  that  landed,  found  themselves  in  the  centre 
of  a  wilderness,  and  taking  different  directions,  their  sufferings,  be- 
fore they  reached  their  settlements,  were  of  the  severest  kind.  It  is 
a  fact,  worthy  of  being  recorded,  that,  on  this  occasion,  the  Warren 
being  short  of  men  at  the  commencement  of  the  expedition,  and  find- 
ing it  difficult  to  obtain  them  by  enlistment,  in  consequence  of  the 
sudden  demand  for  seamen,  Captain  Saltonstall  made  up  the  defi- 
ciency by  impressment. 

The  disastrous  result  of  this  expedition  inflicted  a  severe  blow  on 
American  nautical  enterprises.  Many  privateers  and  state  vessels, 
that  had  been  successful  against  the  enemy's  commerce,  were  either 
captured  or  destroyed.  Among  the  vessels  blown  up,  was  the  Prov- 
idence 12,  one  of  the  first  cruisers  ever  sent  to  sea  by  the  United 
States,  and  which  had  become  noted  for  exploits  greatly  exceeding 
her  force.  As  far  as  can  now  be  ascertained,  we  find  reason  to  be- 
lieve, that  this  little  cruiser  was  both  sloop-rigged  and  brig-rigged,  in 
the  course  of  her  service.  She  had  been  a  privateer  out  of  Rhode 
Island,  at  the  commencement  of  the  war,  and  was  bought  of  her 
original  commander,  Captain  Whipple,*  who  was  himself  admitted 
into  the  service,  as  the  first  commander  of  the  Columbus  20,  and 
who  subsequently  was  numbered  as  the  twelfth  captain,  on  the  regu- 
lated list  of  1776. 

•  This  officer  is  supposed  to  Imve  commanded  at  the  burning  of  the  Qaspe  in  1772. 


1780.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


121 


I  . 


CHAPTER  XL 

Attack  on  and  rodnction  of  Charleston — Capture  of  the  Boston— the  Pro*  oe — the 
the  Gucen  of  Prance — and  the  Rnncrer— Action  hetwcen  the  Trumbull  ni.  .le  letter 
of  mar*iuo  Wait — The  Saratoga,  Capt.  Young,  captures  the  Charming  Molly  and  two 
brigs — thoy  are  retaken  by  the  Intrepid — the  Saratoga  founders  at  wia — The  Alliance, 
Cant.  John  Barry,  captures  the  Alert,  Mars,  and  Minerva — her  action  with  and  capture 
of  tne  Atulanta  and  Trepassy — action  off  Havanna — The  Confederacy  captured  by 
the  British — Action  with  the  Iris  and  loss  of  the  Trumbull — Sketch  of  Capt.  James 
Nicholrton — Capture  of  the  Savage  by  the  Congress,  Cant.  Geddes — Three  sloops  of 
war  and  several  cruisers,  captured  by  the  Deane,  Capt.  Nicholson. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  year  1780,  the  French  fleet  under 
Comte  tl'Estaing  retired  to  the  West  Indies,  leavinjr  the  entire 
American  coast,  for  a  time,  at  the  command  of  the  British.  Sir 
Henry  Chnton  profited  by  the  opportunity  to  sail  against  Charles- 
ton, with  a  strong  force  in  ships  and  troops,  which  town  he  reduced 
after  a  short  but  vigorous  siege.  Several  American  ships  of  war 
were  in  the  harbour  at  the  time,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Whipple,  and  finding  escape  impossible,  this  officer  carried  his 
squadron  into  the  Cooper,  sunk  several  vessels  at  its  mouth,  and 
landed  all  the  guns  and  crews,  for  the  defence  of  the  town,  with 
the  exception  of  those  of  one  ship.  The  Providence  28,  Captain 
Whipple,  the  Queen  of  France  28,*  Captain  Rathburne,  the  Boston 
24,  Captain  Tucher,  the  Ranger  18,  Captain  Simpson,  and  several 
smaller  vessels,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

The  EngUsh  government,  by  this  time,  found  the  system  of  pri- 
vateering so  destructive  to  their  navigation,  that  it  had  come  to  the 
determination  of  refusing  to  exchange  any  more  of  the  seamen  that 
fell  into  their  power.  By  acting  on  this  policy,  they  collected  a 
large  body  of  prisoners,  sending  them  to  England  in  their  return 
ships,  and  sensibly  affected  the  nautical  enterprises  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, who,  of  course,  had  but  a  limited  number  of  officers  and  men 
fit  to  act  on  the  ocean. 

By  the  fall  of  Charleston,  too,  the  force  of  the  regular  American 
marine,  small  as  it  had  always  been,  was  still  more  reduced.  Of  the 
frigates,  the  Alliance  32,  the  Hague  (late  Deane)  32,  Confederacy 
32,  Trumbull  28,  and  a  ship  or  two  bought  or  borrowed  in  Europe, 
appear  to  be  all  that  were  left,  while  the  smaller  cruisers,  like  the 
pitcher  that  is  broken  by  going  too  often  to  the  well,  had  not  fared 
much  better. 

In  consequence  of  all  these  losses,  the  advanced  state  of  the  war, 
and  the  French  alliance,  which  had  brought  the  fleets  of  France 
upon  the  American  coast,  Congress  appears  to  have  thought  any 
great  efforts  for  increasing  the  marine  unnecessary  at  the  moment. 
The  privateers  and  state  cruisers  were  out  and  active  as  usual, 
though  much  reduced  in  numbers,  and  consequently  in  general  effi- 
ciency.    In  contrast  to  these  diminished  eflTorts  we  find  the  British 

*  This  ship  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  small  frigate  built  at  Nantes,  by  the  American 
commissioners  in  Fraoco. 


■; 


122 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1781. 


i    f 


Parliiunent  authorising  the  ministry  to  keep  no  less  than  85,000  men 
employed  in  the  Enghsh  navy,  including  the  marines. 

The  first  action  of  moment  that  occurred  this  year  between  any 
United  States'  vessel  and  tlie  enemy,  notwithstanding,  has  ihe  rep- 
utation of  having  been  one  of  the  most  hotly  and  obstinately  con- 
tested combats  of  the  war.  June  '2d,  1780,  the  Trumbull  20,  then 
under  the  command  of  Captain  James  Nicholson,  the  senior  officer 
of  the  navy,  while  cruising  in  lat.  35°  54',  long.  60"^  W.,  made  a 
strange  sail  to  windward  from  the  mast-heads.  The  Trund)nll  im- 
mediately furled  all  her  canvass,  in  the  hope  of  drawing  the  stranger 
down  upon  her  before  she  should  be  seen.  At  eleven,  the  stranger 
was  made  out  to  be  a  large  ship,  steering  for  the  Trumbull's  (juarter ; 
but  soon  hauling  more  astern,  sail  was  got  on  the  American  ship  to 
close.  After  some  manoeuvring,  in  order  to  try  the  rate  of  sailing 
and  to  get  a  view  of  the  stranger's  broadt-ade,  the  Trumbull  took  in 
her  ]i"'ht  sails,  hauled  up  her  courses,  the  chase  all  this  time  betray- 
ing no  desire  to  avoid  an  action,  but  standing  directly  for  her  adver- 
sary. When  near  enough,  the  Trumbull  Ailed,  and  outsailiiig  the 
stranger,  she  easily  fetched  to  windward  of  her.  The  chase  now 
fired  three  guns,  showed  English  colours,  and  edged  away,  uiider 
short  sail,  evidently  with  an  intention  to  pursue  her  course. 

Captain  Nicholson  harangued  his  men,  and  t'<en  made  sail  to 
bring  his  ship  up  with  the  enemy.  When  about  a  hundred  yurds 
distant,  the  English  ship  fired  a  broadside,  and  the  action  began  in 
good  earnest.  For  two  hours  and  a  half  the  vessels  lay  nearly 
abeam  of  each  otlier,  giving  and  receiving  broadsides  without  inter- 
mission. At  no  time  were  they  half  a  cable's  length  asunder,  and 
more  than  once  the  yards  nearly  interlocked.  Twice  was  the 
Trumbull  set  on  fire  by  the  wads  of  her  enemy,  and  once  the  enemy 
suft*ered  in  the  same  way.  At  last  the  fire  of  the  ^ilnflishn^an  slack- 
ened sensibly,  until  it  nearly  ceased. 

Captain  Nicholson  now  felt  satisfied  that  he  shonld  make  a  prize 
of  his  antagonist,  and  was  encouraging  his  people  with  that  hope, 
when  a  report  was  brought  to  him,  tlnit  the  main-mast  was  totter- 
ing, and  that  if  it  went  while  near  the  enemy,  his  ship  would  probably 
be  the  sacrifice.  Anxious  to  secure  the  ?oar,  sail  was  made,  and  tho 
TrumbnII  shot  ahead  aifiiin,  her  superiority  of  sailing  being  very 
decided.  She  was  soon  clear  of  her  adversary,  who  made  no  effort  to 
molest  her.  The  vessels,  however,  were  scarcely  musket-shot  apart, 
when  the  main  and  mi/en  top-masts  of  the  Trumbull  went  over  the 
side,  and,  in  spite  of  every  effort  to  secure  them,  spar  after  spar  came 
down,  until  nothing  was  left  but  the  fore-mast.  Under  such  cir- 
cumstances, the  enemy,  who  manifested  no  desire  to  profit  by  her 
advantage,  went  off  on  her  pro])er  course.  Before  she  went  out  of 
sight,  her  main  top-mast  also,  was  seen  to  fall. 

It  was  afterwards  ascertained  that  the  ship  engaged  by  the  Trum- 
bull was  a  letter  of  marque  called  the  Watt,  Captain  ConltlKml,  a 
vessel. of  size,  that  Inid  been  expressly  equipped  to  fight  her  way. 
Her  force  is  not  mentioned  in  ihe  English  accounts,  but  her  com- 
mander,, in  his  narrative  of  the  affair,  in  which  he  claims  the  victory, 


1780.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


123 


adiniti*  hxa  lo8s  to  have  bren  9*2  iiivn,  in  killed  niid  womi'  r,\.  Cap- 
tuiii  Nicholson  estininted  her  force  nt  34  or  36  guns,  iii<  .  twolve- 
poiniders ;  nnd  he  states  thiit  of  the  Trumhull  to  have  been  .21  tvvelvo- 
pouiiders  and  0  sixes,  with  109  souls  on  board  when  the  action 
counnenced.  The  Trundmll  lost  39,  in  killed  and  wounded, 
amon<;  the  former  of  whom  were  two  of  her  lieutenants. 

In  the  way  of  a  reafular  cannonade,  this  combat  is  generally 
thou!>lit  to  have  been  the  severest  that  was  fought  in  the  war  of  the 
Revolution.  There  is  no  question  of  the  superiority  of  the  Watt  in 
every  thing  but  sailing,  she  having  been  essentially  the  largest  and 
strongest  ship,  besides  carrying  more  guns  nnd  men  than  her  oppo- 
nent. Owing  to  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  s<'amen,  which  has  been 
so  often  mentioned,  the  Tnnnbull's  crew  was  composed,  in  a  great 
degree,  of  raw  handtt,  and  Captain  Nicholson  states  particularly  that 
many  of  his  people  were  sutlering  under  ^ea-sickness  when  they 
went  to  their  guns. 

This  action  was  not  followed  by  another,  of  any  importance,  in 
which  a  government  cruiser  was  concerned,  until  the  month  of  Oc- 
tober, when  the  U.  S.  sloo|)  of  war  Saratoga  16,  Captain  Young, 
fell  in  with,  nnd  captured  a  ship  and  two  brigs,  the  former,  and  one 
of  the  latter  of  which,  were  well  armed.  The  conflict  with  the 
shijt,  which  was  called  the  Charming  Molly,  was  conducted  with  a 
spirit  and  promptitude  that  are  deserving  of  notice.  Running  along- 
side, Captain  Young  delivered  his  tire,  and  threw  fifty  men  on  the 
enenjy's  decks,  when  a  fierce  but  short  struggle  ensued,  that  ended 
in  the  capture  of  the  British  ship.  Lieutenant  Barney,  afterwards  so 
distinguished  in  the  service,  led  the  boarders  on  this  occasion  ;  and 
the  crew  that  lie  overcame  is  said  to  have  been  nearly  double  in 
numbers  to  his  own  p.irty. 

After  making  these  and  other  captures,  the  Saratoga  made  sail 
for  the  Capes  of  the  Delaware,  with  the  intention  of  conveying  her 
prize  into  port.  The  following  <lay ,  however,  the  convoy  was  cJiased 
by  the  Intrepid  74,  Captain  Molloy,  which  ship  retook  all  the  prizes, 
but  was  unable  to  get  the  Saratoga  under  her  guns.  It  is  said,  and 
we  find  no  evidence  to  contradict  it,  that  the  Saratoga  never  returned 
to  jiort,  the  vessel  foundering,  and  her  crew  perishing  nt  sea,  un- 
heard of. 

The  brevity  of  the  regular  naval  aniuds  of  the  three  last  years  of 
the  war,  compels  us  to  compress  their  incidents  into  a  single  chapter, 
as  it  is  our  aim,  except  in  extraordinary  instances,  not  to  blend  the 
exploits  of  the  private  armed  ships  with  those  of  the  public  cruisers. 

It  has  been  stated  already  that  Captain  Landais  was  dismissed 
from  the  service  soon  after  his  return  home,  when  the  command  of 
the  Alliance  32  was  given  to  Captain  John  Barry,  the  o'iicer  who 
had  made  so  gallant  a  resistance  in  the  Raleigh,  not  long  previously. 
In  February,  1781,  Captain  Barry  sailed  fron>  Boston  for  France,  in 
command  of  this  favourite  ship,  with  Colonel  Laurenson  board,  which 
well  known  and  much  regretted  young  officer  was  charged  with  an 
important  mission  t»>  the  French  court.  The  crew  of  the  frigate  was 
so  indilVerent,  however,  that  Barry  tiioiight  he  risked  his  reputation 


124 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1781. 


by  putting  to  sen  with  it.  On  the  oiitwnrd  pan»iij?«',  the  Alliance 
cnptiircd  a  small  privatctr  calltd  tlio  Al«rt,  hut  no  cv<nt  of  any  ino- 
nii'nt  occurr«!(l.  After  land  in)?  Mr.  Laurens,  the  frij^nto  sailed  from 
I'Orient  on  a  cruise,  with  the  Marnnis  <le  la  Fay<tte  U),  hound  to 
America  with  stores,  in  comfmny.  Three  <lays  afti-rwards,  or  on  the 
2d  of  April,  1781,  they  fell  in  with  and  captured  two  (iuernsey 
privateers,  one  of  which,  the  Mars,  is  said  to  have  heen  a  heavy 
vessel  of  iJO  ^'uns  and  11*2  men,  and  the  other,  the  Minerva,  to  have 
had  an  armament  of  lOgtins,  and  a  crew  of  M  souls.  Neither  of 
these  cruisers  appears  to  have  made  any  resistance. 

Arter  this  success,  the  Alliance  parted  company  with  hercrinsort 
and  the  prizes,  and  continued  to  cruise  until  the  28th  of  May,  when 
she  mi'de  two  sail,  that   were  standinjj;  di:cf;tly  for  her.     It  was  late 
in  the  i\iiy,  and  the  strangers,  when  near  enough  to  remain  in  sight 
during  the  darkness,  hauled  up  on  the  same  course  with  the  Alliance, 
cvideiitly  with  n  view  to  defer  the  action  until  mornitig.     At  daylight 
on  the  succeeding  day,  it  was  nearly  n  dead  calm,  and  wheti  the 
mist  cleared  away,  the  two  strangers  were  seen  at  no  great  distance, 
with  English  colours  flying.     They  were  now  distinctly  made  t)ut  to 
be  a  sloop  of  war  that  rated  16  guns,  and  a  l)rig  of  14.     The  sta  was 
perfectly  smooth,  and  there  being  no  wind,  the  two  light  cruisers  were 
enabled  to  sweep  up,  and  to  select  their  positions,  while  the  Alliance 
lay  almost  a  log  on  the  water,  without  steerage  way.     Owing  to  these 
circumstances,  it  was  noon  before  the  vessels  were  near  enough  to 
hail,  when  the  action  commenced.     For  more  than  an  hour  the  Al- 
liance fotiglit  to  great  disadvantage,  the  enemy  having  got  on  her 
quarters,  where  only  a  few  of  the  aftermost  guns  would  bear  on  them. 
The  advantage  possessed  by  the  English  vessels,  in  consequence  of 
the  calm,  at  one  time,  indeed  gave  their  people  the  greatest  hopes  of 
success,  for  they   had  the  fight  principally  to  themselves.     While 
things  were  in  this  unfortunate  state,  Captain  Barry  received  a  grape- 
shot  through  his  shoulder,  and  was  carried  below.     This  additional 
and  disheartening  calamity  added  to  the  disadvantages  of  the  Ameri- 
cans, who  were   suffering  under  the  close  fire  of  two  spirited  and 
persevering  antagonists.     Indeed,   so  confident  of  success  did  the 
enemy  now  appear  to  be,  that  when  the  ensign  of  the  Alliance  was 
shot  away,  this  fact,  coupled  with  the  necessary  slackness  of  her  fire, 
induced  their  people  to  quit  their  guns,  and  give  three  ch'.'ers  for 
victory.     This  occurred  at  a  moment  when  a  light  breeze  struck  the 
Alliance's  sails,  and  she  came  fairly  under  steerage  way.     A  single 
broadside  from  u.  manageable  ship  changed  the  entire  state  of  the 
coni!)at,  and  sent;  the  enemy  to  their  guns,  again,  with  a  conviction 
that  their  work  yet  remained  to  be  done.     After  a  manly  resistance, 
both  the  English  vessels,  in  the  end,  were  compelled  to  haul  down 
their  colours. 

The  prizes  proved  to  be  the  Atalanta  16,  Captain  Edwaids,  with 
a  crew  of  130  men,  and  the  Trepassy  14,  Captain  Smith,  with  a  crew 
of  80  men.  Both  vessels  were  much  cut  up,  and  they  sustained  a 
joint  loss  of  41  men  in  killed  and  wounded.  The  Alliance  did  not 
escape  with  impunity,  having  had  11  killed  and  21  wounded,  i)riri- 


1781.] 


NAVAL  IIISTOKY. 


125 


cipally  by  the  Hro  of  her  enemies,  while  tiiey  hiy  on  her  quarter  and 
across  lier  tttern.  Cnptuin  Biirry  made  a  cartel  of  the  TrepusHy,  and 
sent  her  into  an  F.ngliHh  p«>rt  with  the  pri.sonera,  but  the  Atalantu 
watt  retaken  by  the  enemy '«  miuadron  that  wait  cruining  oil'  Honton, 
while  atteniptin^r  to  enter  that  liarbour. 

Fortune  now  became  capriciouM,  and  we  are  compelled  to  preHcnt 
the  other  Hide  of  the  picture.  Among  the  Hhi|M  built  late  in  the  war, 
was  the  Confederacy  3'2.  TIuh  vessel  had  been  launched  in  1778, 
ut,  or  near  Norwich,  in  Connecticut,  and  the  connnand  of  her  wasii 
given  to  Ca|>t  tin  >Seth  Harding,  the  otHcer  who  watt  in  the  Defence 
14,  in  the  action  in  Nantanket  Roads  with  the  two  transports  captured 
in  1770.  Captain  Harding  had  been  commissioned  in  the  navy,  in 
which  his  first  command  appears  to  have  been  this  ship.  The  Con- 
federacy sailed  for  Europe  in  1779,  with  Mr.  Jay,  the  minister  to 
Spain,  on  board,  and  was  suddenly  dismasted,  u  little  to  the  eastward 
of  Bermuda.  Spar  followed  spur,  in  this  calamity,  until  the  ship 
lay  a  log  on  the  water,  with  even  her  bowsprit  gone.  This  mis- 
fortune must  probably  be  attributed,  like  so  Miany  similar,  that  have 
succeeded  it,  to  tho  rigging's  having  slackened,  ut\er  having  been 
set  up  in  cold  weather  at  liome,  when  the  ship  got  into  a  warm 
latitude. 

After  several  anxious  weeks,  the  Confcderocy  got  into  Martinique, 
where  Mr.  Jay  obtained  a  passage  in  the  French  frigate  I'Aurorc, 
and  the  American  vessel  remained  to  refit.  From  that  time  to  the 
commencement  of  the  present  year,  the  Confederacy  was  employed, 
like  most  of  the  large  vessels  of  the  service,  in  that  stage  of  the  war, 
in  keeping  open  the  communications  between  the  country  and  the 
different  ports  where  supplies  were  obtained,  and  in  transporting 
stores.  Early  in  1781,  she  went  to  Cape  Framjois,  and,  on  the  22d 
of  June,  while  on  her  return,  with  clothing  and  other  supplies  on 
board,  and  with  a  convoy  in  charge,  she  was  chased  by  a  large  ship, 
which  succeeded  in  getting  alongside  of  her.  Captain  Harding  had 
gone  to  quarters,  and  was  about  to  open  his  fire,  when  the  enemy  ran 
out  a  lower  tier  of  guns,  and  a  frigate  being  in  company  n  short  dis- 
tance astern,  she  struck.     Several  of  the  convoy  were  also  taken. 

The  British  stated  the  armament  of  the  Confederacy  to  have  been, 
when  taken,  28  twelves,  and  8  sixes,  or  30  guns.  Quitting  this  un- 
lucky vessel,  we  shall  now  return  to  the  only  other  frigate  that  was 
built  in  Connecticut,  during  the  war. 

Captain  Nicholson  continued  in  command  of  the  Trumbull,  after 
his  severe  conflict  with  the  Watt,  and  we  find  him  at  sea  again  in 
that  ship,  in  the  summer  of  1781.  She  left  the  Delaware  on  the  8th 
of  August,  with  a  crew  short  of  200  men,  of  which  near  50  were  of 
the  questionable  materials  to  be  found  among  the  prisoners  of  war. 
She  liad  a  convoy  of  twenty-eight  sail,  and  n  heavy  privateer  was  in 
company.  Off  the  Capes,  the  Trumbull  made  three  British  cruisers 
astern.  Two  of  the  enemy,  one  of  which  was  a  frigate,  stood  lor  the 
Trumbull,  which  ship,  by  hauling  up,  was  enabled  to  gain  the  wind 
of  them.  Night  was  near,  and  it  blew  heavily.  The  merchantmen 
began  to  diverge  from  the  course,  though,  by  carrying  easy  sail,  the 


i  < 


/    V 


126 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1781. 


§ 


M 


.-,i 


Trumbull  was  enabled  to  keep  most  of  them  ahead,  and  in  their  sta- 
tions. While  standing  on  in  this  manner,  hoping  every  thing  from 
the  darkness,  a  squall  carried  away  the  Trumbull's  fore-top-mast, 
which,  in  falling  brought  down  with  it  the  main-top-gallant  mast. 
As  the  weather  was  thick  and  squally,  the  vessels  in  company  of  the 
Trumbull  took  advantage  of  the  obscurity  and  scattered,  each  making 
the  best  of  her  way,  according  to  her  particular  rate  of  sailing.  The 
Trumbull  herself  was  compelled  to  bear  up,  in  order  to  carry  the 
canvass  necessary  to  escape,  but  with  the  wreck  over  her  bows,  and 
a  crew  that  was  not  only  deficient  in  numbers,  but  which  was  raw, 
and  in  part  disaffected,  her  situation  became  in  the  last  degree  em- 
barrasing.  Indeed,  her  condition  has  been  described  as  being  so 
peculiarly  distressing,  as  almost  to  form  an  instance  of  its  own,  of  the 
difl[iculties  that  sometimes  accompany  naval  warfare. 

About  10  o'clock  at  night,  the  British  frig.ite  Iris*  32,  one  of  the 
vessels  in  chase,  closed  with  the  Trumbull,  which  ship,  on  account 
of  the  heaviness  of  the  weather,  had  not  yet  been  able  to  clear  the 
wreck.  In  the  midst  of  rain  and  squalls,  in  a  tempestuous  night, 
with  most  of  the  forward  hamper  of  the  ship  over  her  bows,  or  lying 
on  the  forecastle,  with  one  of  the  arms  of  the  fore-topsail  yard  run 
through  her  fore-sail,  and  the  other  jammed  on  deck,  and  with  a 
disorganised  crew.  Captain  Nicholson  found  himself  compelled  to  go 
to  quarters,  or  to  strike  without  resistance.  He  preferred  the  first, 
but  the  English  volunteers,  instead  of  obeying  order,  went  below, 
extinguished  the  lights,  and  secreted  themselves.  Near  half  of  the 
remainder  of  the  people  imitated  this  example,  and  Captain  Nichol- 
son could  not  muster  fifty  of  even  the  diminished  crew  he  had,  at 
the  guns.  The  battle  that  followed,  might  almost  be  said  to  have 
been  fought  by  the  officers.  These  brave  men,  sustained  by  a  party 
of  the  petty  officers  and  seamen,  managed  a  few  of  the  guns,  for 
more  than  an  hour,  when  the  General  Monk  18,  coming  up,  and 
joining  in  the  fire  of  the  Iris,  the  Trumbull  submitted. 

In  tins  singular  combat,  it  has  even  been  asserted  that  at  no  time 
were  40  of  the  Trumbull's  people  at  their  quarters.  It  was  probably 
owing  to  this  circumstance  that  her  loss  was  so  small,  for  the  ship 
herself  is  said  to  have  been  extensively  cut  up.  She  had  five  men 
killed  and  eleven  wounded.  Among  the  latter  were  two  of  the  lieu- 
tenants, and  Mr.  Alexander  Murray,  a  gentleman  of  Maryland,  who 
had  been  educated  to  the  seas,  and  had  been  in  the  action  with  the 
Watt,  but  who  was  then  serving  as  a  volunteer,  and  who,  after  com- 
manding several  private  cruisers,  entered  the  navy,  f;nd  subsequently 
died  at  the  head  of  the  service  in  1821.  Mr.  Murray  was  particularly 
distinguished  in  this  affair,  and  the  conduct  of  Captain  Nicholsont 

*  Tbf?  Iris  liad  been  the  United  States' ship  Hancock  32,  Captain  Manly,  and  was 
captured  hy  the  Rainbow  44,  sir  Geo-sje  Collier,  with  the  Victor  IG,  in  sight,  and  Flora 
33,  in  rimse  of  her  prize,  the  Fox.  The  Hanrock,  or  IrJH,  proved  to  be  one  of  the  faifitest 
ships  on  the  Ainencai)  .station,  and  made  the  t'orluues  ol'  all  who  coramanded  her.  Cap- 
tain Manly  is  tJjouirht  to  have  lost  her,  in  con-semuMiee  of  having  put  her  out  of  trim,  by 
starting  Iit'r  wat(>r.  while  chased.  The  ship  in  the  end,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  French 
in  the  West  Indie."?. 

t  As  the  family  of  Captain  Nicholson  may  he  said  to  bo  nnval,  it  is  duo  to  our  subject 
to  give  some  account  of  it.    The  ancestor  of"  this  ollicer  emigrated  from  Bcrwick-upou- 


let 


1781.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


127 


met  with  much  applause.  The  Iris  suffered  more  than  could  have 
been  expected  under  such  circumstances,  and  reported  seven  men 
killed  and  wounded. 

As  affording  some  relief  to  the  loss  of  the  Trumhull,  we  now 
come  to  a  handsome  exploit  that  occurred  soon  after,  which  ought, 
perhaps,  properly,  to  take  its  place  among  the  deeds  of  the  private 
cruisers,  but  which  is  of  sufficient  importance  to  be  mentioned  here, 
and  this  so  much  the  more,  as  a  portion  of  those  engaged  belonged 
to  the  regular  service  of  the  country.  A  private  cruiser  called  the  . 
Congress  had  been  fitted  out  in  Philadelphia,  in  the  course  of  the 
summer,  and  in  September  she  was  cruising  on  the  coast  of  the 
Carolinas  and  Georgia.  The  Congress  had  an  armament  of  20 
guns,  according  to  the  American  accounts,  and  of  24  according  to 
the  English,  and  she  was  commanded  by  Captain  Geddes.  Few  of 
her  people  were  seamen,  of  which  there  was  now  a  great  scarcity  in 
the  country,  but  her  complement  was,  in  a  great  degree,  made  up 
of  landsmen. 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  September,  cruising  to  the  eastward 
of  Charleston,  the  Congress  made  a  sail,  to  which  she  gave  chase. 
The  stranger  was  soon  discovered  to  be  a  cruiser,  and  at  first,  showed 

Tweed,  at  the  commencement  of  the  eic-htecnth  century,  and  established  himself  in 
Maryland,  where  he  obtained  a  ejrant  called  Nicholson's  Manor,  near  the  passaf,'e  through 
the  Blue  Ridffc  which  is  still  known  ns  Nicholson's  Gap.  This  property  was  subse- 
quently sold,  and  an  estate  was  purchased  on  the  Eastern  Shoie,  where  James  Nicholson 
was  born  in  1737. 

James  Nicholson  was  the  second  son  of  a  numerous  family,  and  he  was  sent  to  E  ngland 
for  his  education.  He  returned  home  young,  however,  and  chose  the  sea  as  a  profession. 
In  1762,  in  common  with  many  Americans,  he  assisted  at  the  siege  of  the  Havana.  In 
1763,  he  married. 

Whcvi  the  war  broke  out,  in  1775,  Mr.  Nicholson  was  residing  on  the  Eastern  Shore, 
*and  he  was  immediately  appointed  to  the  command  of  a  vessel  called  the  Dofonco.  that 
was  equipped  by  the  Colony  of  Maryland,  and  in  which  cruiser  he  was  active  and  useful. 
His  appointment  as  captain  of  the  Virginia  28,  took  place  June  6th,  1776,  and  when  the 
rank  was  arranged  on  the  lOihof  October,  of  the  same  year,  he  was  put  at  the  head  of  the 
list  of  captains.  At  this  time  Commodore  Hopkins  was  commander-in-chief,  but  when 
he  was  dismissed,  Captain  Nicholson  became  the  senior  officer  of  the  navy;  a  station 
that  he  held  to  its  dissolution. 

The  Virginia  being  blockaded,  Captain  Nicholson  and  his  crew  joined  the  army  under 
Washington,  and  were  present,  in  tiie  darkest  moment  of  the  war,  at  the  battle  of  Tren- 
ton.    Tiie  manner  in  which  the  Virginia  was  lost  has  been  related. 

The  two  battles  fought  by  Commodore  Nicholson  while  in  command  of  the  Trumbull 
28,  were  sanguinary  and  hotly  contested.  In  both  cases  the  crews  were,  in  a  great  ilcgree, 
composed  of  landsmen ;  and  in  the  last  action,  none  but  a  man  of  the  highest  notions  of 
military  honour  would  havQ  thought  resistance  necessarj'.  To  say  nothing  of  the  con- 
dition of  his  ship,  the  Iris  (Hancock)  was  one  of  the  largest  frigates  built  by  the  Amor'icans 
in  the  Revolution,  and  the  Trumbull  was  one  of  the  smallest.  The  Monk  was  a  heavy 
sloop  of  war,  for  that  day,  as  is  known  from  her  subsequently  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  Americans. 

Commodore  Nicholson  was  not  exchanged  until  near  the  close  of  the  war,  and  there 
being  no  ship  for  him,  he  never  went  to  sea  again  in  service.  He  subsequently  .•settled 
in  New  York,  where  he  held  a  respectable  civil  appointment  under  tho  general  govern- 
ment. He  died  September  2d,  1804,  leaving  a  .son  and  three  daughters,  one  of  the  latter 
of  whom  married  Albert  Gallatin,  ex-secrelai-y  of  the  treasury,  &c.  &c.  &c. 

Samuel  and  JoVm,  the  brothevs  of  James  Nicholson,  were  both  captains  in  the  Navy 
of  the  Revolution,  and  the  former  died  at  the  head  of  the  service,  in  1811.  Commodore 
S.  Nicholson  had  four  sons  in  the  navy,  and  his  brother  .Tohn,  three  Indeed,  the  third 
generation  of  this  family,  as  in  the  case^  of  the  Perrys,  are  now  in  the  service.  In  the 
whole,  lifteon  gentlemen  of  this  name  and  family  have  served  since  177.5,  of  whom  two 
have  actually  worn  broad  pennants,  and  a  third  died  just  as  he  was  about  to  be  appointed 
to  one.  Ill  addition,  several  oHlcers  of  distinction  were  near  n^iatives,  Commodore  Mur- 
ray having  been  a  cousin-german  of  Commodore  Nicholson,  and  Captain  Gordon  hia 
nephew. 


i  ■; 


128 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1781. 


u  disposition  to  engage,  but,  after  some  manceuvriiig  he  stood  off. 
At  half  past  tea  the  Congress  began  to  fire  her  bow  guns,  and  at 
eleven  being  close  up  on  the  enemy's  quarter,  she  opened  a  heavy  fire 
of  musketry,  which  did  a  good  deal  of  execution.  Drawing  ahead, 
the  Congress  now  delivered  her  broadside,  and  it  was  returned  with 
spirit.  At  first  the  enemy  got  a  cross  fire  upon  the  Congress,  and  the 
latter  ship  meeting  with  an  accident,  fell  astern  to  refit.  But  soon 
closing  again,  the  combat  was  renewed  with  fresh  vigour,  and  the 
Congress  having  got  her  enemy  fairly  under  her  guns,  in  less  than  an 
hour  she  left  her  a  nearly  unmanageable  wreck  on  the  water.  Not- 
withstanding his  condition,  the  Enghshman  showed  no  disposition  to 
submit,  and  the  Congress  ran  so  close  alongside,  that  the  men  were 
said  to  be  reciprocally  burned  by  the  discharges  of  the  guns.  The 
quarter-deck  and  forecastle  of  the  enemy  had  scarcely  a  man  left  on 
it,  and  his  fire  began  to  slacken  in  consequence  of  several  of  his  guns 
having  been  dismounted.  In  this  stage  of  the  engagement  shot  were 
even  thrown  by  hand  and  did  executicn.  At  length  the  mizen-mast 
of  the  English  ship  fell,  and  the  main-mast  threatening  to  follow  it, 
her  boatswain  appeared  on  the  forecastle,  with  his  hat  in  his  hand, 
and  called  out  that  his  commander  had  struck.  The  prize  proved  to 
be  the  British  sloop  of  war  Savage  16,  Captain  Sterling. 

The  accounts  of  the  respective  force  of  the  vessels  engaged  in  this 
warm  contest,  difi'er  essentially  ;  and,  as  is  usual  in  such  matters,  it 
is  probable  that  the  truth  lies  between  them.  There  is  little  question 
of  the  superiority  of  the  Congress  in  guns,  metal,  and  men  ;  but  when 
it  is  remembered  that  the  conqueror  was  a  private  armed  ship,  with 
a  raw  crew,  and  that  the  captured  vessel  was  a  regular  cruiser  that 
had  been  long  actively  employed,  it  would  not  be  just  to  withhold 
from  Captain  Geddes  and  his  people,  the  credit  of  having  performed 
a  handsome  naval  exploit.  As  in  other  things,  there  is  a  discrepancy 
also  in  the  account  of  the  losses  of  the  two  ships.  The  Congress  is 
said,  by  Captain  Sterling,  to  have  had  about  fifty  men  killed  and 
wounded  ;  and  by  the  American  accounts,  to  have  lost  only  thirty. 
The  former  makes  the  loss  of  the  Savage  eight  killed,  and  twenty- 
four  wounded ;  while  the  Americans  raise  it  as  high  as  a  total  of 
fifty-four.  There  is  a  reason  to  question  the  accuracy  of  the  pub- 
lished English  account  of  this  affair,  to  be  found  in  the  fact  that  Cap- 
tain Sterling,  while  he  does  not  state  that  he  was  short-handed,  tells 
us  that  he  had  but  forty  men  left  at  their  quarters  when  he  struck. 
By  adding  this  number  to  the  thirty -two  killed,  or  disabled  by  wounds, 
we  get  a  total  of  but  seventy-two  for  the  crew  of  a  frigate-built  sloop 
of  war,  a  fact  that  requires  explanation  to  receive  credit,  and  which, 
if  true,  would  have  so  fairly  entered  into  the  relation  of  the  defeat, 
as  an  extenuating  circumstance.  Official  accounts  of  defeats  so  often 
undergo  changes  and  mutilations  between  the  hands  of  the  writer  and 
their  publication,  that  we  arc  not  necessarily  to  attribute  wilful  mis- 
representation to  a  gallant  but  unfortunate  officer,  because  the  docu- 
ments laid  before  the  world  do  not  alVays  rigidly  coincide  with  prob- 
ability, or  the  truth  as  it  has  been  derived  from  other  sources.  The 
Savage  was  re-captured  by  a  British  frigate,  and  taken  into  Charles- 


m 


1782.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


120 


ton.     Captain  Geddcs  got  much  credit  for  this-iffuir  ;  and,  at  a  later 
day,  wc  tind  his  name  a   long  those  of  the  captains  of  the  navy. 

We  liave  now  reached  the  year  1782,  which  was  virtually  the  last 
of  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  though  some  events  will  remain  to  be 
recorded  in  the  early  part  of  the  year  1783.  In  the  comencement 
of  this  year,  the  Dcane  32,  made  a  successful  cruise,  in  which  she 
took  several  private  armed  vessels  of  the  enemy.  By  some  accounts, 
three  of  her  prizes  were  sloops  of  war,  viz.  the  Regulator  18,  the 
Swallow  16,  and  the  Jackall  14  ;  but  we  think  it  probable,  that  there 
may  have  been  some  mistake  as  to  their  characters.  On  this  occa" 
sion,  the  Deane  was  commanded  by  Captain  Samuel  Nicholson. 

Tiie  favourite  ship,  the  Alliance*  32,  Captain  Barry,  was  much 
employed  this  year,  her  superior  sailing  making  her  a  vessel  in  con- 
stant demand.  Among  other  services  that  she  performed,  this  ship 
was  sent  to  the  Havana  for  specie,  whence  she  sailed,  in  company 
with  the  Louzun,  a  ship  loaded  with  supplies.  Shortly  after  quitting 
port,  some  enemy's  vessels  fell  in  with  them,  and  gave  chase.  While 
running  from  this  force,  a  large  sail  was  seen  on  the  Alliance's 
weather  how,  Avhich  was  soon  made  out  to  bo  a  French  50,  of  two 
decks.  Exchanging  signals,  and  supposing  that  the  French  frigate 
would  sustain  him.  Captain  Barry  immediately  wore  round  and 
brought  the  leading  vessel  of  the  enemy  to  action  ;  the  others  ma- 
noGuvring  in  a  way  to  engage  the  attention  of  the  fifty.  The  latter, 
however,  kept  her  wind  ;  >and  after  a  sharp  fight  of  more  than  half 
an  hour,  the  English  ship  engaged  with  the  Alliance,  finding  herself 
hard  pushed,  made  signals  to  her  consorts  to  join,  when  Captain 
Barry  hauled  off.  The  Alliance  now  stood  for  the  French  ship,  and 
speaking  her,  it  was  determined  to  bring  the  enemy  to  action  again, 
in  company.  On  making  sail  in  chase,  however,  it  was  soon  found 
that  the  fifty  was  too  dull  a  sailer  to  give  the  least  hope  of  overtaking 
the  enemy,  and  the  atlempt  was  abandoned. 

In  this  action,  the  Alliance  had  3  killed  and  11  wounded  ;  while 
it  is  said  that  the  loss  of  the  enemy  was  very  heavy.  Some  state- 
ments place  the  latter  as  high  as  87  men  ;  but  no  accounts  can  be 
discovered,  that  give  .\  very  clear  history  of  this  affair.  The  English 
vessel  engaged  was  the  Sibyl,  rating  20,  and  mounting  30  guns. 
She  is  said  to  have  had  37  killed  and  more  than  50  men  wounded. 
The  other  vessels  in  company  were  frigates.  One  of  the  enemy,  by 
some  of  the  accounts,  was  said  to  be  a  ship  of  the  line,  and  the  vessel 
engaged  by  the  Alliance,  a  heavy  sloop  of  war. 

The  command  of  the  Hague,  one  of  the  two  fi-igates  now  left  in 
the  American  marine,  was  given  to  Captain  Manly,  after  her  return 
from  the  cruise  under  Captain  Nicholson  ;  and  this  officer  who  had 
virtually  begun  the  maritime  war,  on  the  part  of  the  United  States, 
in  a  manner  closed  it,  by  an  arduous  and  brilliant  chase,  in  which  he 
escaped  from  several  of  the  enemy's  ships  in  the  West  Indies,  after 
being  for  a  considerable  time  under  the  guns  of  a  vastly  superior 

•  Ono  of  Uio  trnditioii"  oftlio  sorvicc  statrs  that  tho  Alliance  was  chased  this  year,  by 
nn  on(<my's  two-dfcUcr  imd  llint  she  ran  tiCtetni  knots  by  the  log,  with  the  wind  abeam, 
in  nKikiiiu;Iu'r  csoiiiK,'  I 


vot,.    I. 


9 


130 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1782. 


force.  This  occurrence  may  be  said  to  have  brought  tlie  regular 
naval  warfare  of  the  United  States  to  an  end,  so  far  as  the  govern- 
ment cruisers  were  concerned,  peace  havingbeen  made  early  in  1763. 


CHAPTER  XII. 


t"i* 


4  is 

'A  ?• 


■»   it 


The  Hydcr  Ally,  Capt.  Joshua  Barney,  sails  with  convoy  down  the  Delaware — action 
with,  a!id  capture  of  the  General  Monk — he  commands  the  Washington — Commodore 
Gilloii  goes  to  Europe  to  purchase  vessels — agrees  for  the  Indicn — makes  a  cruise  and 
captures  ten  sail— Capture  of  the  Indien — One  of  the  most  desperate  defe 
record,  by  Capt.  Murray — Close  of  naval  events  connected  with  the  Revolulic 


nces  on 
ulion. 


Although  we  have  introduced  a  few  of  the  prominent  actions  in 
which  the  privateers  were  concerned  in  this  war,  it  has  been  as  excep- 
tions. Most  of  the  accounts  of  such  conflicts  are  of  a  questionable 
nature,  depending  principally  on  the  rumours  of  the  day,  as  they 
were  written  out  for  the  newspapers,  though  it  is  known  that  many 
of  the  exploits  of  this  description  of  vessels  were  of  a  brilliant  kind, 
and  every  way  entitled  to  respect.  Indeed,  the  private  cruisers  of 
America  have  always  had  a  character  superior  to  those  of  other  coun- 
tries ;  a  fiict  that  is  owing  to  the  greater  degree  of  relative  respecta- 
bility that  is  attached  to  the  profession  of  a  seaman  in  this  country, 
than  it  is  usual  to  find  elsewhere,  and  to  the  circumstance  that  the 
public  marine  has  never  been  sufficiently  large  to  receive  all  of  those 
who  would  willingly  take  service  in  it,  when  the  nation  has  been  en- 
gaged in  war. 

Privateering,  in  the  abstract,  is  a  profession  of  which  reason  and 
good  morals  can  scarcely  approve  ;  for  whatever  may  be  its  legality, 
its  aim  is  to  turn  the  waste  and  destruction  of  war,  to  the  benefit  of 
avarice.*  But  circumstances  may,  and  in  two  contests  that  have  taken 
place  between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States,  these  circum- 
stances did  offer  so  many  apologies  for  engaging  in  the  pursuit,  as 
almost  to  raise  it  to  the  dignity  of  a  more  apjiroved  warfare.  With- 
out regular  fleets,  borne  upon  by  a  powerful  nation  that  claimed  to 
command  the  ocean,  and  uimble  to  assail  their  enemy  in  any  other 
manner,  most  of  the  American  seamen  have  found  themselves  re- 
duced to  the  necessity  of  choosing  between  idleness,  during  struggles 
that  involved  the  dearest  rights  of  the  country,  or  of  engaging  in  this 
mode  of  endeavouring  to  bring  their  enemies  to  terms.  It  is  due  to 
these  brave  men  to  say,  that,  as  a  rule,  their  conduct  while  afloat,  has 
generally  coincided  with  the  sentiments  here  attributed  to  them  ; 
American  privateering  having  in  all  ages,  been  very  little  stigmatised 
by  acts  of  oppression  and  rapine. 

la  many  instances,  during  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  the  private 

*  It  is  due  to  the  American  government  to  say,  that  it  has  unsuccessfully  attempted  to 
put  a  Slop  to  this  species  of  war,  by  means  of  negotiaiionH 


1782.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


131 


armed  cruisers  displayed  an  honourable  chivalry,  by  engaging  vessels 
of  war,  that  sufficiently  showed  the  spirit  of  their  commanders  ;  and 
we  find  them  nearly  always  rea'dy,  when  occasions  have  offered,  to 
quit  the  more  peculiar  occupation  of  assailing  the  enemy's  commerce, 
in  order  to  lend  their  aid  in  any  of  the  regular  military  expeditions 
of  the  country.  In  short,  in  this  war,  the  officer  and  the  common 
man,  appear  equally  to  have  passed  from  the  deck  of  the  public,  to 
that  of  the  private  cruiser,  knowing  little  difference  between  ships 
that  carried  the' ensign  of  the  republic,  and  which,  in  their  eyes,  were 
engaged  in  the  same  sacred  cause. 

As  respects  the  service  of  the  colonial  or  state  cruisers,  there  Avould 
be  less  reason  to  regard  the  accounts  with  distrust,  but  their  records 
are  scattered  in  so  many  different  offices,  and  the  marines  themselves 
were  so  irregular,  that  it  is  almost  impossible  to  obtain  authentic 
details,  at  this  distant  day.  In  many  instances,  these  vessels  did 
excellent  service  ;  and,  in  addition  to  a  few  that  have  already  been 
incorporated  in  this  work,  among  the  more  regular  incidents  of  the 
war,  we  shall  add  the  accounts  of  one  or  two  of  their  actions,  as  they 
have  been  obtained  from  the  best  authorities  that  now  oflier,  consid- 
ering them  entitled  to  precedence,  before  we  give  an  outline  of  the 
service  performed  by  the  private  armed  cruisers. 

In  March,  1782,  the  Delaware  was  much  infested  by  barges  and 
small  cruisers  of  the  enemy,  which  not  unfrequently  made  prizes  of 
vessels  belonging  to  the  Americans,  as  well  as  molesting  the  people 
who  dwelt  near  the  water.  With  a  view  to  keep  the  navigation  open 
against  these  marauders,  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  determined  to  fit 
out  a  few  cruisers  at  its  own  expense,  and  with  such  materials  as 
could  be  hastily  collected.  With  this  object,  a  smfiU  ship  called  the 
Hyder  Ally  was  purchased.  So  suddenly  did  the  local  government 
come  to  its  resolution,  that  the  vessel  just  named,  when  bought,  had 
actually  dropped  down  the  river, on  an  outward  bound  voyage,  loaded 
with  flour.  She  was  brought  back,  her  cargo  was  discharged,  and 
an  armament  of  16  six-pounders  was  put  on  her.  So  little,  however, 
was  this  ship  ready  for  war,  that  she  had  to  be  pierced  in  order  to 
receive  her  guns.  Indeed,  so  pressing  was  the  emergency,  that  the 
merchants  of  Philadelphia  anticipated  the  passage  of  the  law  to  au- 
thorise the  purchase  and  equipment  of  this  ship,  by  advancing  funds 
for  that  purpose  ;  and  the  act  had  not  actually  gone  through  all  its 
legal  forms,  until  after  the  exploit  we  are  about  to  record  had  been 
performed  !  The  commissioners  entrusted  with  the  duty  of  prepar- 
ing the  ship,  selected  Lieutenant  Joshua  Barney,  of  the  United  States 
navy,  as  her  commander,  a  young  officer  of  great  decision  of  charac- 
ter and  personal  bravery,  who  had  already  distinguished  himself  in 
subordinate  stations,  on  boardofdiffercnt  cruisers  of  the  general  gov- 
ernment, but  who,  like  so  many  more  of  the  profession,  was  obliged 
frequently  to  choose  between  idleness  and  a  scn'ice  less  regular  than 
that  to  which  he  properly  belonged. 

A  crew  of  110  men  was  put  on  board  the  Hyder  Ally  ;  and  within 
a  fortnight  after  he  was  appointed  to  command  her,  Captain  Bar- 
ney sailed.     It  was  not  the  intention  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania, 


132 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1782. 


*  .- 


-i:M 


that  this  ship  should  go  to  sea,  but  merely  that  she  should  keep  the 
navigation  of  the  river  and  bay  open,  and  drive  oft*  privateers,  and 
other  small  cruisers.  On  the  8th  ofApril,  the  Hyder  Ally  got  into 
the  bay  with  a  considerable  convoy  of  outward  bound  merchantmen. 
The  whole  fleet  had  anchored  in  the  roads  off  Cape  May,  in  wait- 
ing for  a  wind  to  get  to  sea,  when  two  ships  and  a  brig,  one  of  the 
former  a  frigate,  were  seen  rounding  the  Cape,  with  a  view  to  attack 
them.  Captain  Barney  immediately  run  up  a  signal  for  the  convoy 
to  trip,  and  to  stand  up  the  bay  again,  the  wind  being  to  the  south- 
ward. This  order  was  promptly  obeyed,  and  in  a  few  minutes,  the 
merchant  vessels,  with  one  exception,  were  running  off  before  the 
wind,  with  every  thing  set  that  would  draw,  the  Hyder  Ally  cover- 
ino-  their  retreat,  under  easy  sail.  The  vessel  that  remained,  en- 
deavoured to  get  to  sea,  by  hauling  close  round  the  Cape,  but 
grounded  and  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  Another  vessel  got 
on  the  shoals,  and  was  taken  by  a  boat  from  the  nearest  of  the  Eng- 
lish cruisers. 

An  extensive  shoal,  called  the  "  Over  Falls,"  forms  two  channels, 
in  the  lower  part  of  Delaware  Bay,  and  while  the  convoy  passed  up 
the  easternmost  of  these  channels,  or  that  which  is  known  as  the 
•'  Cape  May  Channel,"  the  frigate  stood  towards  the  western,  which 
offered  a  better  chance  to  head  the  fugitive  at  the  point  where  the 
two  united,  and  which  had  the  most  water.  The  remaining  ship 
and  the  brig,  stood  on  in  the  direction  of  the  Hyder  Ally. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  brig,  which  proved  to  be  a  British  pri- 
vateer (iut  of  New  York,  called  the  Fair  American,  came  up  with 
the  Hyder  Ally,  when  the  latter  offered  her  battle.  But  firing  a 
broadside,  the  privateer  kept  aloof,  and  continued  up  the  bay.  Cap- 
tain Barney  declined  to  return  this  fire,  holding  himself  in  reserve 
for  the  ship  astern,  a  large  sloop  of  war,  which  was  fast  coming  up. 
When  the  latter  got  quite  near,  the  Hyder  Ally,  which  had  kept 
close  to  the  shoal,  luffed,  threw  in  her  broadside,  and  immediately 
righting  her  helm,  kept  away  again.  The  enemy  stood  boldly  on, 
and  just  as  his  forward  guns  were  beginning  to  bear,  the  two  vessels 
being  within  pistol-shot,  the  Hyder  Ally  attempted  to  luff  athwart 
his  hawse,  when  tlie  jib-boom  of  the  English  ship  ran  into  her  fore- 
rigging,  and  the  two  vessels  got  foul.  It  is  said  that  Captain  Bar- 
ney obtained  this  advantage  by  deceiving  his  enemy,  having  given 
an  order  to  port  the  helm,  in  a  loud  voice,  when  secret  instructions 
had  been  given  to  the  quarter-master  at  the  wheel,  to  put  his  helm 
hard  a-starboard.  The  Hyder  Ally  now  opened  a  severe  raking 
fire,  and  in  less  than  half  an  hour  from  the  commencement  of  the 
action,  the  stranger  struck,  the  shi])s  remaining  foul  of  each  other. 

The  frigate,  which  had  not  actually  got  into  the  western  channel, 
perceiving  the  state  of  things,  changed  lier  course,  with  the  view  to 
get  round  to  the  combatants,  and  Captain  Barney  had  no  time  to 
lose.  Throwing  his  first  lieutenant,  with  a  party,  on  board  the  prize, 
lie  ordered  her  to  continue  up  the  bay,  while  he  covered  the  retreat 
with  his  own  ship.  In  the  mean  while,  the  brig  had  run  aground 
above,  in  chase  of  the  convoy.     There  is  some  reason  to  suppose 


1    t 

fit   ( 


1782.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


133 


that  tliucoiiiiiuiiidcrofiliefi'iifute  did  not  know  the  result  of  the  ac- 
tion, for  he  Piiule  sijiimis  to  the  pri/e,  uiid  anchored  about  sunset, 
leaviiijf  the  ilyder  Ally,  which  had  been  kept  a  long  distance  astern 
of  the  other  vessels,  with  a  view  to  divert  his  attention,  to  proceed  to 
Philiidelphia  without  further  molestation. 

Up  to  this  moment,  Captain  Barney  did  not  even  know  the  name 
of  his  pri/e.  He  now  made  sail,  however,  and  runniui;  alongside 
of  her,  for  the  first  time  he  learned  he  had  captured  his  Britannic 
Majesty's  ship  (ieneral  Monk  18,  Captain  Rodgers.  This  vessel 
had  formerly  been  the  American  jjrivateer,  General  Washington, 
and  having  fallen  into  tlyj  power  of  Adndral  Arhuthnot,  he  had  ta- 
ken her  into  the  king's  service,  given  her  a  new  name,  and  promo- 
ted a  favourite  olHcer  to  her  command.  The  Monk  mounted  twenty 
nines,  and  is  said  to  have  had  a  crew  of  130  jnen.  Captain  Rodg- 
ers reported  his  loss  at  six  killed,  and  twenty-nine  wounded  ;  but 
Captain  Barney  stated  it  at  twenty  killed,  and  thirty-six  wounded. 
It  is  probable  that  the  latter  account  is  nearest  the  truth,  as  the 
connnander  of  a  captured  vessel  has  not  always  as  good  an  oppor- 
tunity as  his  captor,  to  ascertain  his  own  loss.  The  llyder  Ally  had 
four  killed,  and  eleven  wounded. 

This  action  has  been  justly  deemed  one  of  the  most  brilliant  that 
ever  occurred  under  the  American  Hag.  It  was  fought  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  vastly  superior  force  that  was  not  engaged  ;  and  the  ship 
taken,  was  in  every  essential  resjject,  superior  to  her  conqueror. 
The  disproportion  in  metal,  between  a  six-pounder  and  a  nine- 
pounder,  is  one  half;  and  the  Monk,  besides  being  a  heavier  and  a 
Ln"i>vr  ship,  had  the  most  men.  Both  vessels  appeared  before 
Philadelphia,  a  few  hours  after  the  action,  bringing  with  them  even 
their  dead  ;  and  most  of  the  leading  facts  were  known  to  the  entire 
community  of  that  place.* 

The  steadiness  with  which  Captain  Barney  protected  his  convoy, 
the  gallantry  and  conduct  with  which  he  engaged,  and  tiie  perse- 
vera\ice  with  which  he  covered  the  retreat  of  his  pri/c,  are  all  de- 
serving of  high  praise.     Throughout  the  whole  affair,  this  officer 

*  A  bioernpliy  of  the  lifo  of  Cnplnin  Kodgprs  lias  appeared  ;  and,  in  this  work  it  is 
assortod  lluu  tlie  nrmnmcnt  of  the  Genonil  Monk  was  of  n\nc-]nmiu\  rfirroiiailrs,  and  tliat 
tlio  srnii.s  wore  ho  lia;l)l,  I'lut  thoy  wore  dismounted  l)y  tlie  rceoils.  The  defeat  is  imputed 
to  tlii'^  eiiuso.  In  tlie  Knli8e()iieiU  action,  mentioned  in  tlie  text,  the  Monk,  then  the  (Jen- 
oral  Wasliinirton,  is  said  to  have  siiH'enMl  a  disadvantage,  in  conse(iuence  of  lier  nines 
being  sixes  liored  out  to  the  former  ealil)er,  tlic  guns  not  having  weiglit  enough  to  l)ear 
the  recoil.  Tliis  isa  iirofessicmul  fael,  that  iijight  well  enough  occur.  It  is,  tlierefore, 
proliahlo  that,  \vlu;n  taken,  the  Monk  had  these  same  nines,  and  tlial  Home  may  have  been 
dismounted  by  the  recoils.  IJut,  on  the  otlier  hand,  the  Monk  could  have  lost  nearlialf 
her  guns  in  tliis  way,  and  utill  have  ht>en  e<iual  to  tlie  Hyder  Ally  ;  an<I  tlie  fact  appears 
to  becerli.in,  that  the  coml)at  was  settled  liy  the  l)old  mantruvre  of  Captain  Harney.  It 
i.s  mentioned,  moreover,  in  tliis  sam(>  l)iograpliy,  that  Captain  Rodgers  liad  been  two 
years  very  actively  employed  in  tlie  Monk,  wlie'n  she  was  taken  ;  and  it  will  be  admit- 
ted as  singuhir,  tliat  ho  did  not  umlersland  the  power  of  his  guns  by  that  time.  Re- 
duced charges,  moreover,  would  have  obviated  the  ditllculty  in  a  combat  in  which  the 
ships  touched  <>iich  olh(>r.  Carronades  were  scarcely  known  in  178'-',  and  tlie  Monk,  re- 
cciv(Mj  tier  outfit  in  177!».  Resides,  she  wouhl  have  carried  niucli  heavier  carronades, 
had  she  carried  any,  the  weight  of  an  eighteen-pound  luirrouade  bt.'ing  about  tlie  same 
as  tiiat  of  a  six-pounder.  The  biographer  has,  no  doubt,  confounded  tlie  light  niiie.s  with 
enrronade.s  of  tliat  caliber,  the  latter  gun  being  much  in  u.se  wlien  he  wrote. 


-•t: 


" 


134 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1782. 


!:^ 


discovered  the  qualities  of  a  f,n-cat  naval  captain  ;  failing  in  no  es- 
senlinl  of  that  (listin<i;uished  character. 

The  Monk,  her  old  name  having  been  restored,  was  taken  into 
the  service  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania,*  and  was  shortly  after 
sent  on  duty  in  behalf  of  the  United  States,  to  the  West  Indies. 
During  this  cruise.  Captain  Barney  had  a  warm  engagement  with 
an  English  armed  brig,  supposed  to  have  been  a  privateer,  of  al>out 
an  equal  force,  but  she  escaped  from  him,  the  meeting  occurring  in 
the  night,  and  the  enemy  manoeuvring  and  sailing  particularly  well. 
The  name  of  his  antagonist  is  not  k  In  this  affair,  the  Wash- 

ington received  some  damage  in  her  spars,  but  met  with  no  serious 
loss. 

Massachusetts  and  South  Carolina  were  the  two  states  that  most 
exerted  themselves,  in  order  to  equip  cruisers  of  their  own.  As 
early  as  September,  1776,  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  former  is  said  to 
liave  captured  an  English  sloop  of  war,  after  a  sharp  action  ;  but 
we  can  discover  no  more  than  general  and  vague  accounts  of  the 
affair. 

Among  the  vessels  of  Massachusetts  was  one  named  after  the 
State  itself,  and  a  brig  called  the  Tyrannicide.  The  latter  was  a 
successful  cruiser,  and  made  many  captures,  but  she  was  lost  in  the 
unfortunate  affair  in  the  Penobscot.  It  is  believed  that  the  Tyran- 
nicide was  built  expressly  for  a  cruiser.  But  the  favourite  officer  of 
this  service  appears  to  have  been  Captain  John  Foster  Williams, 
who  commanded  a  brig  called  the  Hazard,  in  1779.  In  this  vessel, 
in  addition  to  the  action  already  related  with  the  Active,  Captain 
Williams  performed  many  handsome  exploits,  proving  himself,  on 
nil  occasions,  an  officer  of  merit. 

After  quitting  the  Hazard,  Captain  Williams  was  transferred  to 
the  Protector  20,  equally  a  state  ship.  In  this  vessel  he  had  the  two 
actions  mentioned  in  another  chapter, — that  with  the  Duff,  and  that 

*  The  bioffrapher  of  Commodore  Barney  has  asnnmcd  ihot,  as  the  (ieneral  Washing- 
ton was  employed  on  duty  in  behalf  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Barney  was  made  a  cap- 
tain in  the  navy.  By  the  iiistrnctions  published  in  this  biography,  it  appears  that  the 
comniissionersof  Pennsylvania  put  the  ship  at  the  disjiosition  of  Mr.  Robert  Morris,  in 
order  to  transport  specie  fi-om  the  Havana  to  this  country.  This  fact  alone  would  not 
have  made  Mr.  Barney  a  captain  in  the  navy  ;  or  the  masterof  every  merchantman  who 
is  employed  by  qovernment  mi!,'ht  claim  that  rank.  It  does  not  make  a  man  a  captain  in 
the  navy,  to  command  a  Inflate  even,  (is  that  duty  may  he  performed,  at  need,  by  a  gun- 
ner. The  commission  is  necessary  to  make  a  captain;  and  this,  Mr.  Barney,  howevoj 
deserving  of  it,  does  not  appear  to  have  possessed  until  it  wa3  given  to  hun  in  1794, 
although  he  remained  a  lieutenant  in  the  service  to  the  close  of  tlie  war.  The  General 
Washington  was  employed  by  the  UniteJ  States  down  to  the  peace,  it  is  true  ;  but  this 
no  more  puts  a  slii))  on  tlie  list,  than  an  ollicer  of  a  niercliantman  is  j-ut  on  the  list  by  liis 
vessel's  being  hired  as  a  transport.  Govi^rnment  may  pnt  its  ollicers  in  merchant-ships, 
and  they  will  remain  itsolliccrs ;  or  it  may  jiut  its  ships  temporarily  under  the  charge  of 
merchant  ofliet'rs,  and  the  latter  will  not  m;  in  tlie  navy.  It  may  hire,  borrow,  or  forci- 
bly emjiloy  vessels,  without  necessarily  placing  either  the  ships  or  their  officers  on  its 
regular  lists.  It  <loes  apjiear,  howcsir,  that  the  United  States  in  the  end  owned  the 
Washington  ;  probably  through  some  subsequent  anangenient  with  Peunsylvania  ;  she 
having  been  soil  on  public  account. 

Tlien;  is  no  (juestion  that  Caiitain  Barney  ought  to  have  been  presented  with  the 
commission  of  a  cajitain  in  the  Am(>ric;in  navy,  for  the  capture  of  the  Monk  ;  and  it  is 
pi-obably  owina:  to  the  .state  of  the  war,  then  luiown  to  he  so  near  a  close,  and  to  tlie  gen- 
eral in-egiiliirities  of  the  service,  that  he  was  not ;  but  we  .an  liud  no  evidence  tliat 
Congress  ever  acquitted  itself  of  this  duty. 


r 


1781.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


135 


with  the  Tlmmos, — in  both  of  which  this  "ullant  officer  greatly  dis- 
tinguished himself.  Soon  after  this  briUiant  cruise  he  resumed  the 
command  uf  the  Hazard,  which  was  also  lost  to  the  state  in  the  un- 
fortunate expedition  against  the  British  in  the  Penobscot.  It  would 
probably  have  been  better  for  Massachusetts  had  it  named  this  meri- 
torious officer  to  the  command  of  ihe  naval  armament  on  that  occa- 
sion. This  unhappy  affair  appears,  in  a  great  degree,  to  have  put 
an  <'nd  to  the  maritime  c^'.  /ts  of  Massachusetts,  a  state,  however, 
that  was  foremost  to  the  last,  in  aiding  the  general  cause. 

Of  the  vessels  of  Carolina  mention  has  already  been  made.     In 
the  early  part  of  the  war  several  light  cruisers  were  employed,  but 
as  the  contest  advanced,  this  State  entertained  a  pian  of  obtaining 
a  few  vessels  of  force,  with  an  intention  of  striking  a  blow  heavier 
than  common  against  the  enemy.     With  this  view  Commodore  Gil- 
Ion,  the  officer  who  was  at  the  head  of  its  little  marine,  went  to  Eu- 
rope, and  large  amounts  of  colonial  product  were  transmitted  to  him, 
in  order  to  raise  the  necesssary  funds.     In  his  correspondence,  this 
officer  complains  of  the  difficulty  of  procuring  the  right  sort  of  ships, 
and  much  time  was  lost  in  fruitless  negotiations  for  that  purpose,  in 
both  France  and  Holland.     At  length  an  arrangement  was  entered 
into,  for  one  vessel,  that  is  so  singular  as  to  require  particular  notice. 
This  vessel  was  the  Indicn,  which  had  been  laid  down  by  the  Amer- 
ican commissioncs,  at  Amsterdam,  and  subsequently  presented  to 
France.     She  had  the  dimensions  of  a  small  74,  but  was  a  frigate  in 
construction,  carrying,  however,  an  armament  thnt  consisted  of  28 
Swedish  thirty-sixes  on  her  gun-deck,  and  of  12  Swedish  twelves 
on  her  quarter-deck  and  forecastle,  or  40  guns  in  the  whole.     This 
ship,  though  strictly  the  property  of  France,  had  been  lent  by  Louis 
XVI.  to  the  Chevalier  de  Luxembourg,  who  hired  her  to  the  State  of 
'^outh  Carolina  for  three  years,  on  condition  that  the  State  would  in- 
sure her,  sail  her  at  its  own  expense,  and  render  to  her  owner  one- 
fourth  of  the  proceeds  of  her  pri/.es.     Under  this  singular  compact,* 
the  ship,  which  was  named  the  South  Carolina  for  the  occasion,  got 
out  in  1781,  and  made  a  succei>sful  cruise  in  the  Narrow  Seas,  send- 
ing her  prizes  into  Spain.     Afterwards  she  proceeded  to  America, 
capturing  ten  sail,  with  which  she  went  into  the  Havana.     Here 
Commodore  Gillon  with  a  view  to  distress  the  enemy,  accepted  the 
command  of  the  nautical  part  of  an  expedition  against  the  Bahamas, 
that  had  been  set  on  foot  by  the  Si)aniards,  and  hi  which  other 
American  cruisers  joined.     The  expedition  was  successful,  and  the 
ship  proceeded  to  Philadelphia.     Commodore  Gillon  now  left  her, 
and  after  some  delay,  the  South  Carolina  went  to  sea,  in  December, 
1782,  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Joyner,  an  officer  who  had  pre- 
viously served  on  board  her  as  second  in  command.     It  is  probalile 
that  the  movements  of  so  important  a  vessel  were  watched,  for  she 
had  scarcely  cleared  the  capes,  when,  after  a  short  running  fight, 

*  Chevalier  de  Luxcmbonrc:,  was  a  French  nobleman  of  the  well-known  family  of 
MoiUiiiorcncy.  Could  the  truth  bo  come  at,  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  whole  affair 
Would  bo  discovered  to  havo  been  an  indirect  species  of  princely  privateering. 


r  '. 


136 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1782. 


shr  foil  into  the  Imiitls  of  the  British  ship  Dioinede  44,  huviii^f  the 
Astrea  82,  and  tlie  Quebec  ;}2,  in  compiiny. 

The  South  Carolina  was  much  tlie  heaviest  ship  that  ever  sailed 
under  the  American  flog,  until  the  new  fri^jates  were  constructed 
durinjr  the  war  of  1812,  and  she  is  described  os  having  been  a  par- 
ticularly fast  vessel;  but  her  service  appears  to  have  been  greatly 
disproportioned  to  her  means.  She  cost  the  state  a  lorge  sum  of 
money,  and  is  believed  to  have  returned  literally  notiiing  to  its 
treasury.     Her  loss  excited  much  comment. 

Admiral  Arbutlinot  reports  among  the  "rebel  ships  of  war"  taken 
or  sunk  at  the  capture  of  Charleston,  "the  Bricole,  pierced  for  GO, 
mounting  44  guns,  twenty-four  and  eighteen-pounders,"  &c.  As 
there  never  was  a  vessel  of  this  name  in  the  navy  of  the  United 
States,  it  is  jirobable  that  this  shi|)  was  another  heavy  frigate  obtained 
by  the  State  of  South  Carolina,  in  Europe.  Although  this  state  had 
the  pecuniary  means  to  equip  a  better  marine  than  common,  it  had 
neither  vessels,  building  yards,  nor  seamen.  Most  of  its  vessels 
were  purchased,  and  its  seamen  were  principally  obtained  from 
places  out  of  its  limits,  Commodore  Gillon  and  Captain  Joyner  being 
both  natives  o(  Holland. 

We  shall  now  briefly  allude  to  a  few  private  armed  cruisers,  and 
close  the  narrative  of  the  naval  events  connected  with  the  Revolution. 
Of  the  general  history  of  this  part  of  the  warfare  of  the  period,  the 
reader  will  have  obtained  some  idea  from  our  previous  accounts;  but 
it  may  be  well  here  to  give  a  short  but  more  connected  summary  of 
its  outlines. 

The  first  proceedings  of  Congress  in  reference  to  assailing  the 
British  commerce,  as  has  been  seen,  were  reserved  and  cautious. 
War  not  being  regularly  declared,  and  an  accommodation  far  from 
hopeless,  the  year  1775  was  suffered  to  pass  away  without  granting 
letters  of  marque  and  reprisal;  for  it  war  the  interest  of  the  nation 
to  preserve  as  many  friends  in  England  0  •  possible.  As  the  breach 
widened,  this  forbearing  policy  was  abandoned,  ond  the  summer  of 
I77C  let  loose  the  nautical  enterprise  of  the  country  upon  the  British 
commerce.  The  eflect  at  first  was  astounding.  Never  before  had 
England  found  an  enemy  so  destructive  to  her  trade,  and  during  the 
two  first  years  of  the  privateering  that  followed,  something  like  eight 
hundred  sail  of  merchantmen  w(!re  captured.  After  this  j)eriod,  the 
effort  of  the  Americans  necessarily  lessened,  while  the  precautions 
of  the  enemy  increased.  Still,  these  enterprises  proved  destructive, 
♦o  the  end  of  the  war;  and  it  is  a  proof  of  the  efficiency  of  this  class 
of  cruisers  to  the  last,  that  small  privateers  constantly  sailed  out  of 
*he  English  ports,  with  a  view  to  make  money  by  recapturing  tl^eir 
own  vessels ;  the  trade  of  America,  at  this  time,  offering  but  few 
inducements  to  such  undertakings. 

Among  the  vessels  employed  as  private  cruisers,  the  Ilolker,  the 
Black  Prince,  the  Pickering,  the  Wild  Cat,  the  Vengeance,  the 
Marlborough,  in  addition  to  tliose  elsewhere  named,  were  very  con- 
spicuous.    The  first  sailed  under  different  commanders,  and  with 

The  Marlborough  is  said  to  have  made 


aluiost  uniform  success. 


m 


1783.] 


NAVAL  HfSTORY. 


137 


tweiity-cight  prizes  in  one  cruise.  Other  vcsacIh  were  scarcely  less 
fortunate.  Many  sharp  actions  occurn-d,  and  quite  as  ol'tcn  to  the 
advanta<;e  of  these  cruisers  as  to  that  of  the  enemy.  In  repeated 
instances  they  escaped  from  ltritii<h  ships  of  war,  under  unfiivoin'aldc 
circumstances,  and  there  is  no  question,  that  in  tew  cases,  they 
captured  them. 

To  tliis  list  ou^ht  also  to  he  added  the  letters  of  nian|n(>,  which, 
in  many  eases,  did  great  credit  to  themsi^lves  and  t(»  the  country. 
Captain  Murray,  since  so  well  known  to  the  service,  niade  one  of 
the  most  desperate  defences  on  record,  in  one  of  these  vessels,  near 
the  close  of  the  war;  and  Captain  Truxtun,  whose  imme  now  occu- 
pies so  hij;h  a  station  anionj;  those  of  the  naval  captains  of  the 
repuhlic,  nuule  another,  in  the  St.  Janu>8,  while  conveying  an  Anieri- 
can  agent  to  France,  which  was  so  highly  ajipreeiated  that  it  probably 
opened  the  way  to  the  rank  that  he  subse<pu>ntly  filled. 

The  I'inglish  West  India  trade,  in  particular,  sutlV  red  largely  by 
the  private  warfare  of  the  <lay.  Two-and-fifty  sail,  engaged  in  this 
branch  of  the  etunmeree,  are  stated  to  have  been  taken  as  early  as 
February,  1777.  The  whole  nundu'r  of  captures  made  by  the 
Americans  in  this  contest,  is  not  probably  known,  but  six  hundred 
and  fit\y  |>ri'/es  are  said  to  have  been  got  into  port.  Many  others 
were  ransomed,  and  some  were  destroyed  at  sea.  There  can  be  no 
minute  nccuraey  in  these  statements,  but  the  injury  done  to  the  com- 
merce of  Great  Britain  was  enormous;  and  there  is  no  doubt  that 
the  constant  hazards  it  run,  had  a  direct  influence  in  obtaining  the 
acknowledgment  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  Ameri- 
ca, which  great  event  took  place  on  tlic  20th  of  January,  1783. 

Thus  terminated  the  first  war  in  which  America  was  engaged  as  a 
separate  nation,  af\er  n  struggle  that  had  endured  seven  years  and 
ten  mouths.  Orders  of  recall  were  immediately  given  to  the  difterent 
cruisers,  and  the  commissions  of  all  privateers  and  letters  of  marque 
were  revoked.  The  proclanuUion  announcing  a  cessation  of  hostili- 
ties was  made  on  the  11th  of  April,  when  the  war  finally  terminated 
at  all  points. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Briof  ivview — List  of  vos<»ols  in  tlio  navy  between  1775  aiul  'S3,  nnd  the  fate  of  each — 
Description  of  the  Anieriru  74 — she  is  i>rest>nte<i  to  the  kinuf  of  France — Capt.  Manly, 
anecdote  ofiiis  first  enptun^— -Captun«  and  imprisonment  of  Capt.  Cony  ngliiim— -Most 
distini;nished  nuval  otKrers  of  the  Rovohition— -The  American  marine- -its  diiKcuUies— 
Crew  of  a  vessi>l  «)f  war— -its<>omposition— -Con^rn'ss  establishes  a  murine  corps— -List 
of  oflicers  first  appointed— value  of  ll>o  corps — What  vessel  first  carried  the  Ameri- 
can flag. 

Bkfork  we  proceed  to  give  an  account  of  the  state  in  which  the 
war  left  the  Anterican  marine,  a  brief  review  of  its  general  condition, 
tlHoughout,  and  at  the  close  of  the  struggle,  may  be  louiul  useful. 


138 


KAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1776-83. 


WIkmi  llie  law  of  1775  wiih  piisHcd,  direcling  flio  coiiHtnictioii  of  tlio 
firKt  frij,'.itt'»,  for  the  tw«'nty-t'ij,'litM  and  twriity-rourH  art'  incliidt d  in 
thin  f.luMs,  dinererit  Imildiiijf  stalioiiM  w«'re  xclrcttMl,  at  poiiitH  thoii^'ht 
to  he  h-ast  exposed  to  the  eiH'iny.  Tlie  \l'»hv\  that  was  laid  d(»\vii  in 
New  irainp!*hirc',  wan  said  to  have  Ix-eii  jJiit  into  the  \vat(  r  in  h'ixiy 
davs  from  tlie  time  the  work  commenced.  Hut  all  this  activity  was 
of  little  avail,  the  want  of  gnnn,  anchors,  rijr^rinjr,  or  of  some  other 
material  article,  interfering  with  the  rapid  etpiipinvnt  of  nearly  every 
one  of  the  thirteen  Hhips. 

The  vessel  just  mentioned  was  the  Raleigh,  and  her  career  can  bo 
traced  in  our  previous  pages. 

The  two  ships  constructed  in  Massachusetts,  the  Hancock  and 
Boston,  got  to  sea;  for  this  part  of  the  country  was  little  annoyed  by 
the  enemy  af\er  the  evacuation  of  Itostoii ;  and  their  fortunes  are  also 
to  be  found  in  our  pages. 

The  Rhode  Island  ships  were  the  Warren  and  Providence.  Thcso 
vessels  are  described  as  having  becMi  the  most  indillerent  of  the  thir- 
teen. They  were  launched  in  177G,  and  their  services  and  fates  have 
been  given. 

The  Montgomery  nnd  Congress  were  the  vessels  ordered  to  be 
built  in  New  York.  These  ships,  it  is  believed,  were  constructed  at, 
or  near  Ponghkeepsie,  on  the  Hudson,  and  did  not  get  to  sea,  as  the 
British  held  the  mouth  of  the  river  from  August,  1770,  to  November, 
178.'{.  They  wert!  burned  in  1777,  in  onh'r  to  jirevent  them  from 
falling  into  tli(>  hands  of  the  enemy,  when  Sir  Henry  Clinton  took 
the  forts  in  the  highlands. 

The  name  of  tli(  ^Maryland  ship  was  the  Virginia,  and  her  hard 
Ibrtune  has  been  recorded,  in  the  course  oftbeeventsof  the  year  1778. 

Pennsylvania  had  the  f(mr  remaining  vessels,  the  Randolph,  the 
Washington,  the  Delaware,  and  the  Effingham.  Of  the  first  it  is 
unnecessary  to  say  any  thing,  as  her  fate  is  identified  with  the  glory 
of  the  service.  If  the  Delaware  ever  got  to  sea,  we  find  no  traces  of 
her  moveuH'iits.  She  was  ecpiipped  certainly,  and  most  pr(jbably 
blockaded,  failing  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy  when  they  got  pos- 
session of  Philadelphia.  The  other  t\"0  were  burned  in  Captain 
Henry's  expedition  up  the  river,   in  1778,  as  has  been  related. 

Thus  of  the  thirteen  vessels  from  which  so  much  was  expected, 
but  six  got  to  sea  at  all,  in  the  service  in  which  they  were  built.  To 
these  were  added,  in  the  course  ofthe  war,  n  fcw  other  frigates,  .some 
permanently,  and  sonieoiiiy  for  single  rrnis<;s.  Ofthe  foriinr  class 
were  the  Dcane,  (lla^iie,)  Alliance,  Confederacy,  and  (iiirtii  of 
France.  It  is  believed  that  these  four  ships,  adth.'d  to  the  thirteen 
ordered  by  the  law  of  177.").  and  tin;  Alfred  and  Columbus,  will  com- 
prise all  tli«;  frigate-built  vtsrsels  that  properly  belonged  to  the  marine 
ofthe  country,  during  the  \\ar<iftli<'  Revolution.  The  I'leiich 
vessels  that  composed  most  ofthe  sipiadron  of  Paul  .Tones  were  lent 
for  the  occasion,  and  we  hear  no  more  of  the  Pallas  after  the  cruise 
had  ended.     She  reverted  to  her  <irii;inal  owners. 

Ofthe  sloops  of  war  and  smaller  vessels  it  is  now  difficult  to  give 
a  complete  and  authentic  account.     Several  were  employed  by  the 


Iri 


1775-83,] 


NAVAL  IIIHTOIIY. 


139 


roiiitriissionttrH  in  I'Vniicc,  wliicli  it  ih  uupoanxMo  to  truce.  ConpfreM 
oci-asioiiully  borniwod  vohhoLs  of  tliu  Htiitfs,  and  gctu'rully  with  ilitir 
oirictTrt  and  crinvs^  on  l)oard.  Of  this  class  of  vi'.sst-ls  was  tin*  (iciicral 
Washington,  Mate  (itMieral  Monk,)  whi<di  uni|nt>ctionahly  h*  lon;;od 
to  tho  State  ot  Fennsylvauia,  when  fn'st  e(|ni|i|ied,  thon<>ii  sh(!  ap- 
pears to  have  been  Huhse<|uently  transt«'i'red  to  tht;  (lenend  (lovern- 
inciit,  hy  which  Hhe  was  employed  as  a  packet,  an  late  as  the  year 
17H(,  when  she  was  sold  on  puhlie  account. 

Under  8ucii  circnnistanc(!S,  and  with  tlu;  defective  niateriids  that 
nr(!  now  to  he  o))tained,  the  ditKcnIty  of  undiing  a  perfect  list  of  the 
vessels  that  were  in  the  navy  during  the  war  of  the  lltivohition  is  fully 
felt,  and  yet,  without  Honie  Huch  record,  this  hook  will  have  an  air  ut' 
iiieompleteness.  One,  that  has  Ix-en  corrected  with  care,  is  ac- 
nordin<;ly  given,  and  as  nothing  is  admitted  into  it,  without  authority, 
it  is  believed  to  be  correct  as  far  as  it  goes  ;  its  defects  being  those 
of  omission,  rather  than  positive  errors.  Anin'xed  to  the  name  of 
each  vessel  is  her  fate,  as  un  American  cruiser,  so  far  as  the  facts 
can  be  ascertained. 

List  of  vessels  of  tear  in  the  American  vari/  between  the  years   1775 

and  npiJ. 
Alliance  3JJ,  sold  after  the  peace  and  converted  into  an  Indianian.* 
Deane  (Hague)  32. 
Virginia  "Jri,  taken  by  a  British  stpiadron  near  the  capes  of  the  Clies- 

aipeake,  lu'fore  getting  to  sea,  1778. 
Confederacy  3ri,  taken  by  a  ship  of  the  line,  oH*  the  capes  of  Virginia, 

.lunetJJd,  17rii. 
Hancock  {3:2,  taken  in  1777,  by  Rainbow  41,  and  Victor  10.     Flora 

IJ'i,  retook  her  |)ri/e. 
Randolph  !}'i,  blown  up  in  action  with  the  Yarmouth  64,  in  1778. 
Raleigh  Il-i,  taken  by  the  Experiment  50,  and  Unicorn  iJ'i,  1778. 
Washington  3:i,  desti(i>i'<l  in  the  Delaware  by  the  British  army, 

1778,  w'    lout  ii«;tting  to  sea. 
Warren  .'I'i,  bnni.tl  in  the  Penobscot  in  1779,  to  prevent  her  falling 

into  lilt  nicmy's  hands. 
Queen  of  France  'JH,  captured  at  Charleston  in  1780. 
Provi(l«!nce  •>!,  do.  do.  do. 

Trumbidl  'iS,  taken  by  the  lris3'2,  and  General  Moidi  18,  1781. 
ElHnghum  '28,  burned  by  the  enemy  in  the  Delaware,  1778,  without 

getting  to  sea. 
Congress  !28,  destroyed  in  tlie  Hudson,  1777,  to  prevent  her  falling 

into  the  enemy's  hands,  without  g(   mig  to  sea. 
Alfred  'l\,  captured  by  the  Ariadne  and  Ceres,  in  1778. 
Coluatbus  20. 

Dil  aware  21,  captured  by  the  British  army  in  the  Delaware,  in  1777. 
Boston  24,  capltn-ed  at  Charleston,  in  1780. 

MoiitgouK'ry  24,  destroyed  in  the  Hudson  without  getting  to  sen,  1777. 
Haiiiden  14. 
Reprisal  10,  foundered  at  sea,  1778. 

*Hor  wreck  still  lies  on  an  island  in  iho  Delaware. 


140 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1775-83. 


Lexington  14,  taken  by  the  British  cutter  Alert,  in  the  channel,  1778. 
Andrea  Doria  14,  burned  in  thq-Delaware,  1777,  to  prevent  her 

falling  into  the  enemy's  nands. 
Cabot  16,  driven  ashore  by  the  Milford  32,  in  1777,  and  abandoned. 
Ranger  18,  captured  at  Charleston  by  the  British  army,  1780. 
Saratoga  16,  lost  at  sea  in  1780  ;  never  heard  of. 
Diligent  14,  burned  in  the  Penobscot,  1778. 
Gates  14. 
Hornet  10. 

Surprise  10,  seized  by  the  French  government,  in  1777. 
Revenge  10,  sold  in  1780. 
Providence  12,  taken  in  the  Penobscot  in  1779. 
Sachem  10  ^    Supposed   to  have  been  destroyed  in  the 

Wasp  8   (    Delaware  by  the  enemy,  or  by  the  Ameri- 

Independence       10   [    cans,  to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  enemy's 
Dolphin  10  3   hands. 

To  these  vessels  must  be  added  the  following  ships,  which  appear 
to  have  made  one  or  more  cruises  under  the  American  flag,   com- 
manded by  American  ofticers,  and  manned,  in  part,  by  American 
seamen. 
Bon  Homme  Richard  40,  sunk  after  her  action  with  the  Serapis  44, 

in  1779. 
Pallas  32,  left  the  service  when  the  cn.lse  was  ended. 
Vengeance  12,  do.  do.  do. 

Cerf  18,  do.  do'.  do. 

Ariel  20,  borrowed  by  the  commissioners  from  the  king  of  France, 

and  supposed  to  have  been  returned. 

These  lists  contain  nearly,  if  not  quite  all  the  vessels  of  any  size 
that  properly  belonged  to  the  navy  of  the  American  Confederation. 
There  were  several  more  small  cruisers,  mounting  from  4  to  10  guns, 
but  their  service  appears  to  have  been  as  uncertain  as  their  fates, 
thouirh,  like  the  privateers,  most  of  them,  it  is  believed,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  their  powerful  and  numerous  foes.  Several  ships,  also, 
appear  to  have  belonged  to  the  government,  such  as  the  Due  de 
Lauzun,  the  Luzerne,  Washington,  &.c.,  that  we  do  not  think  en- 
titled to  be  classed  among  its  regular  cruisers. 

Most  of  the  popular  accounts  make  the  America  74,  the  first  two- 
decked  ship  ever  built  within  the  limits  of  the  United  States.  That 
this  is  an  error,  has  already  been  shown,  in  one  of  our  earlier  pages, 
and  there  is  reason  to  suppose  that  the  English  caused  several  small 
vessels  on  two  decks  to  be  constructed  in  the  American  colonies, 
previously  to  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  It  would  have  been  more 
accurate  to  hiive  stated  that  the  America  was  the  heaviest  ship  that 
had  been  laid  down  in  the  country,  at  the  time  she  was  built.  This 
vessel  was  captured  from  the  French,  by  the  British,  in  the  engage- 
ment of  tlic  1st  of  June.* 

*  VVo  i.'i\o  llio  following  ouilino  of  the  (loscription  of  the  Amcrirn,  ns  left  ny  Paul 
Jori(>s,  tr:  n1;o\v  wliat  wen-  tlu'iMlcciiirii  |icf'iili!iiiti('S  in  the  cniist!Tlctioii  of  ii  Hliij)  of  the 
lini!.  Tin  ti|ip(>r  (ii'ck  hiiKvnrks  wn- [nirliciilnrly  rlcscrilicil  ii.n"  brciist-worU^  (licfcrd  for 
guns,"  and  lie  adds,  tiiatuil  tiie  (luai-trr-dockiiiid  foivi'ustli;  1:11113 coulfl  bo  fought,  ai  need, 


^1     V 
ii. 


1776-83.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


141 


The  management  of  the  little  navy  that  the  United  States  possessed 
during  this  long  and  important  struggle,  was  necessarily  much  con- 
trolled by  circumstances.  When  the  conflict  commenced,  it  could 
scarcely  be  termed  a  war,  and  the  country  hardly  possessed  an  organ- 
ised government  at  all.  It  had  been  the  policy  of  England  to  keep 
her  colonies  as  dependent  as  possible  on  herself  for  all  manufactured 
articles ;  and  when  the  Revolution  broke  out,  the  new  states  were 
almost  destitute  of  the  means  of  carrying  on  the  struggle.  Much  as 
has  been  said  and  written  on  this  subject,  ihe  world  scarcely  seems 
to  possess  an  accurate  notion  of  the  embarrassments  to  which  the 
Americans  were  subjected  in  consequence  of  deficiencies  of  this  na- 
ture. The  first  important  relief  was  obtained  through  the  cruisers, 
and  it  is  scarcely  saying  too  much  to  add,  that,  without  the  succours 
that  were  procured  in  this  manner,  during  the  years  1775  and  1776, 
the  Revolution  must  have  been  checked  in  the  outset.* 

In  addition  to  the  direct  benefits  conferred  by  the  captures,  the 
marine  was  of  incalculable  advantage  in  bringing  Europe  in  contact 
with  America,  by  showing  the  flag  and  ships  of  the  new  country  in 
the  old  world.  Notwithstanding  the  many  obstacles  that  were  to  be 
overcome,  the  high  maritime  spirit  of  the  nation  broke  through  all 
restraints  ;  and  in  defiance  of  an  enemy  that  Jilmost  possessed 
ubiquity,  as  well  as  an  overwhelming  power,  the  conflict  between 
Britain  and  her  despised  and  oppressed  colonies  had  not  continued 
a  twelvemonth,  when  the  coasts  of  the  former  country  were  harassed 
and  agitated  by  the  audacity  and  enterprise  of  the  American  cruisers. 
Insurance  rose  to  a  height  hitherto  unknown,  and  for  the  first  time 
in  her  history,  England  felt  the  effects  which  a  people  thoroughly 
imbued  with  a  love  of  maritime  adventure,  could  produce  on  a  nation 
so  commercial. 

The  activity  and  merit  of  the  brave  men  who  first  carried  the  war 
into  the  enemy's  seas,  have  not  been  fully  apprecia<^ed  by  the  present 
age.  Foremost  ought  to  be  placed  the  name  of  Wickes,  who  led  the 
way,  and  who  appears  to  have  performed  the  duty  confided  to  him, 
with  discretion,  spirit,  and  steadiness.     The  untimely  fate  of  this 

on  one  side;  from  which  it  is  to  be  inferred  thattheship  had  ports  in  her  waist.  The  poop 
had  a  "  foldini^breasi-work,"  f^rape-shot  proof,  or  bulwarks  that  were  lowered  and  hoisted 
in  a  minite.  The  quarter  deck  ran  four  feet  forward  of  the  main-mast,  and  the  forecastle 
came  well  aft.  The  ganijways  were  wi''o,  and  on  the  level  of  the  quarter-deck  and/ore- 
coRth'..  The  ship  had  only  single  (juarter  galleries,  and  no  stern  gallery.  She  had  50  feet 
f!  inches  beam,  over  all,  and  her  inboard  lentrth,  on  the  upper  gun-deck,  was  182  feet  6 
inches.  "  Yet  this  ship,  though  the  larsra^t  of  i^eventi/ -fours  in  the  world,  had,  when  the 
lower  battery  was  sunk,  the  air  of  a  delicate  frigate  ;  and  no  person,  at  the  distance  of  a 
mile,  could  lia%'e  imagined  .she  had  a  second  battery."  Unfortunately  her  intended  arma- 
ment is  not  given. 

*  The  following  anecdote  rests  on  the  authority  of  the  secretary  of  the  Marine  Com- 
mittee of  Congress,  the  body  that  discharged  the  duties  that  are  now  performed  by  the 
navy  department.  The  committee  was  in  secret  session,  deliberating  on  the  means  of 
obtaining  certain  small  articles  that  were  indispensable  to  the  equipment  of  vessels  of 
war,  but  which  were  not  to  be  had  in  the  country,  when  a  clamour  for  admittance  at  the 
door,  interrupted  the  proceedings.  Admittance  was  denied,  but  the  intruder  insisted  on 
entering.  The  door  was  finally  opened,  when  a  gentleman  appeared,  with  an  inventory 
of  the  stores  found  in  the  Najjcy,  the  first  vessel  talien  by  Captain  Manly,  and  among 
which  were  the  very  articles  wanted.  Mr.  Adams,  when  the  fact  was  ascertained,  arose 
and  Mil  with  earnestness :-—"  We  must  succeed— -Providence  is  with  us— we  must 
succeed  !" 


i::' 


142 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1775-83. 


il  MS 


gallant  officer,  who  had  obtained  the  respect  and  confidence  of  (he 
American  commissioners,  was  probably  the  reason  that  his  name 
does  not  fill  as  high  a  place  in  the  public  estimation  as  his  services 
merit. 

Captain  Conyngham,  also,  to  his  other  claims,  adds  that  of  suffer- 
ing. He  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  after  his  return  to  the 
American  seas,  while  cruising  in  a  small  private  armed  vessel,  and 
was  sent  to  England  in  irons,  with  a  threat  to  treat  him  as  a  pirate. 
His  imprisonment  was  long  and  severe  ;  nor  was  his  liberty  obtained, 
until  months  of  bitter  privation  had  been  passed  in  a  gaol. 

The  naval  names  that  have  descended  to  us,  from  this  war,  with 
the  greatest  reputation,  are  those  of  Jones,  Barry,  Barney,  Biddle, 
Manly,  Nicholson,  Wickes,  Rathburne,  Conyngham,  and  Hacker. 
To  these  may  be  added  that  of  Williams,  who  was  in  the  service  of 
Massachusetts.  Other  officers  greatly  distinguished  themselves, 
either  in  subordinate  stations  on  board  vessels  of  war,  or  on  board  the 
differfent  cruisers.  Many  of  the  latter  subsequently  rose  to  high 
stations  in  the  national  marine,  and  we  shall  have  occasion  to  allude 
to  their  conduct  in  our  subsequent  pages. 

The  nature  of  the  warfare,  unquestionably  trammelled  the  notional 
efibrts  in  this  contest.  The  circumstance  that  only  six  out  of  thirteen 
new  cruisers  that  were  laid  down  under  the  law  of  October,  1775, 
ever  got  to  sea,  shows  the  difficulties  with  which  the  country  had  to 
contend  on  account  of  so  many  of  its  ports  having  been  occupied  by 
invading  armies,  of  a  force  end  discipline  that  no  power  ot  the  young 
republic  could  then  withstand.  No  less  than  six  of  these  vessels  fell 
into  the  enemy's  hands,  by  means  of  their  land  forces,  or  were  de- 
stroyed by  the  Americans  themselves,  to  prevent  such  a  result.  In 
New  York,  the  British  held  the  port,  of  all  others,  which  would  have 
been  of  the  greatest  service  to  the  country,  in  a  naval  war,  as  its  cen- 
tral position,  many  natural  advantages,  difficulty  of  being  blockaded 
on  account  of  a  double  outlet,  and  resources,  will  always  render  it  the 
centre  of  maritime  operations,  in  every  struggle  for  the  command  of 
the  American  seas. 

But  the  greatest  obstacles  with  which  the  young  marine  had  to  con- 
tend, were  a  total  absence  of  system,  a  looseness  of  discipline,  and  a 
want  of  vessels  of  force.  The  irregularities  of  the  service,  it  is  true, 
grew  out  of  the  exigencies  of  the  times,  but  their  evils  were  incalcu- 
lable. Rank,  tli.it  great  source  of  contention  in  all  services  in  which 
it  is  not  clearly  defined  and  rigidly  regulated,  appears  to  have  cre- 
ated endless  heart-burnings.  The  dissensions  of  the  officers,  natu- 
rally communicated  themselves  to  the  men  ;  and  in  time,  his  diffi- 
culty was  added  to  the  others  which  existed  in  obtaining  crews.  It 
is  a  singular  fact,  that,  with  the  exception  perhaps  of  that  favourite 
ship,  the  Alliance,  we  cannot  find  that  any  frigate-built  vessel  left  the 
country,  after  the  first  year  or  two  of  the  war,  with  a  full  crew  on 
board  of  her;  and  even  those  with  which  they  did  sail,  were  either 
composed,  in  a  good  measure,  of  landsmen,  or  the  officers  had  been 
compelled  to  resort  to  the  dangerous  expedienf  of  seeking  for  volun- 
teers among  the  prisoners.     We  have  seen  that  the  Alliance  herself. 


;i     i^ 


1775-83.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


143 


with  Iier  precious  freight,  was  near  being  the  sacrifice  of  this  ill-judg- 
ed, not  to  say  unjust  policy.  The  Trumbull,  when  taken,  was  fought 
principally  by  her  officers ;  and,  at  the  very  moment  when  confidence 
was  of  the  last  importance  to  success,  the  vessels  of  Paul  Jones' 
squadron  appear  to  have  distrusted  each  other,  and  to  have  acted  with 
the  uncertainty  of  such  a  state  of  feeling. 

To  the  lightness  of  the  metal  used  during  this  war,  is  to  be  ascribed 
the  duration  of  the  combats.  It  has  been  seen,  that  the  Bon  Homme 
Richard  had  a  few  cighteen-pounders  mounted  in  her  gun-room  ;  . 
and  there  are  occasional  allusions  in  the  accounts  of  the  day,  that 
would  induce  us  to  believe  that  some  of  the  larger  vessels  built  for  the 
service,  had  a  few  guns  of  this  caliber,  mixed  in  with  their  more  reg- 
ular armaments  ;  but,  strictly  speaking,  there  was  not  a  ship  in  the 
American  navy,  during  the  whole  war  of  the  Revolution,  that  ought 
to  be  termed  more  than  a  twelve-pounder  frigate.  The  America  74, 
would  have  been  an  exception,  of  course,  could  she  properly  be  said 
to  have  belonged  to  the  service,  but  she  was  virtually  transferred  to 
France  previously  to  being  put  into  the  water.  The  Bon  Homme 
Richard  had  the  dimensions  of,  and  was  pierced  for  a  thirty-eight,  but 
her  regular  and  only  efficient  batteries,  were  composed  of  twelves  and 
nines.  The  Indien,  or  South  Carolina,  as  she  was  subsequently 
called,  was  probably  as  heavy  a  frigate  as  then  floated  ;  but  she 
sailed  in  the  service  of  the  single  state  of  South  Carolina,  and  never 
belonged  to  the  marine  of  the  country. 

TVf>  correct  estimate  can  be  ever  made  of  the  merits  of  the  gallant 
ist  • .  whose  acts  have  been  recorded  in  these  pages,  without  keep- 
iit  r  ■. ;.  ;.onstant  view,  all  the  disadvantages  under  which  they  served. 
With  vessels,  quite  ofl^en  imperfectly  equipped;  frequently  with  such 
guns,  ammunition  and  stores,  as  are  known  to  be  disposed  of  to  na- 
tions, the  necessities  of  which  supersede  caution  ;  with  crews  badly, 
ofl;en  dangerously  composed,  and  Avithout  the  encouragement  that 
power  can  profiler  to  success,  these  faithful  men  went  forth  upon  an 
ocean  that  was  covered  with  the  cruisers  of  their  enemy,  to  contend 
with  foes  every  way  prepared  for  war,  who  were  incited  by  all  that 
can  awaken  ambition,  and  who  met  them  with  the  confidence  that  is 
the  inseparable  companion  of  success  and  a  consciousness  of  force. 

While  pointing  out  the  claims  of  the  seamen  of  the  Revolution  to 
that  honourable  place  in  history  which  it  is  our  aim  to  contribute  in 
securing  to  them,  there  is  another  corps,  one  that  has  so  long  been 
associated  with  navies  as  to  be  almost  necessarily  included  in  their 
renown,  which  is  entitled  to  a  distinct  notice  in  these  pages.  It  is  so 
much  u  m.atter  of  course,  to  identify  the  marines  with  the  ship  in 
which  they  serve,  that  we  have  not  hitherto  thought  it  necessary  to 
digress  from  the  course  of  events  to  speak  particularly  of  that  body 
of  men.  The  corps,  however,  is  so  necessary  to  the  military  char- 
acter of  every  service,  has  ever  been  so  efficient  and  useful,  not  only 
in  carrying  on  the  regular  routine  of  duty,  but  in  face  of  the  enemy, 
and  was  so  all-important  to  the  security  of  the  ships,  during  the  period 
of  which  we  have  been  writing,  that  we  have  reserved  a  place  for  a 
brief  account  of  its  organisation  in  this  chapter.     In  order  that  the 


1'  ■• 


144 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1775-83. 


t 


.  I 


■4M 


;|.:if 


general  reader  may  more  clearly  comprehend  this  branch  of  the 
subject,  however,  and  obtain  a  better  idea  of  the  composition  of  the 
crew  of  a  vessel  of  war,  a  paragraph  will  be  devoted  to  a  few  expla- 
nations. 

The  men  of  a  public  armed  ship  ore  divided  into  two  distinct 
bodies ;  the  portion  of  the  people  that  do  the  ordinary  duty  of  the 
vessel,  which  includes  the  petty  officers,  seamen,  ordinary  seamen, 
landsmen  and  boys,  and  the  marines.  T!  i  former  pass  under  the 
general  name  of  sailors,  while  the  latter  are  always  known  by  their 
own  distinc  "e  appellation.  The  marines  are  strictly  infantry  so.'- 
diers,  who  we  trained  to  serve  afloat ;  and  their  discipline,  equip- 
ments, spirit,  character,  and  esprit  de  corps,  are  altogether  those  of  ^ 
an  army.  The  marines  impart  to  a  ship  of  war,  in  a  great  degree, 
its  luTh  military  character.  Tliey  furnish  all  the  guards  and  senti- 
nels ;  in  battle  they  repel,  or  cover  the  assaults  of  boarders;  and,  at 
all  times,  they  sustain  and  protect  the  stern  and  necessary  discipline 
of  a  ship  by  their  organisation,  distinctive  character,  training,  and  we 
might  add,  nature.  It  is  usual  to  place  one  of  these  soldiers  on 
board  a  ship  of  war  for  each  gun,  though  the  rule  is  not  absolute.  It 
is  not,  however,  to  be  understood  by  this,  that  the  marines  are  regu- 
larly dispersed  in  the  ship,  by  placing  them  at  the  guns,  as,  unless  in 
cases  that  form  exceptions,  they  act  together,  under  their  own  officers, 
using  the  musket  and  bayonet  as  their  proper  weapons. 

Aware  of  the  importance  of  such  a  body  of  men,  on  the  9th  of 
November,  1775,  or  before  any  regular  cruiser  had  yet  got  to  sea, 
Congress  passed  a  law  establishing  a  marine  corps.  By  tins  law,  the 
corps  was  to  consist  of  two  battalions  of  the  usual  size,  and  to  be 
commanded  by  a  colonel.  A  resolution  passed  on  the  30th  of  the 
same  month,  directing  that  these  two  battalions  should  not  be  drafted 
from  the  army  before  Boston,  but  regularly  enlisted  for  the  war.  It 
does  not  appear  that  this  law  was  evyr  CKTied  into  complete  effect ; 
the  great  difficulty  which  existed  in  obtaining  men  for  the  army,  no 
less  than  the  impracticability  of  getting  so  many  of  the  vessels  to  sea, 
most  probably  contributing  to  defeat  itfj  objects.  On  the  25th  .Tune, 
1776,  notwithstanding,  the  corps  received  something  like  the  con- 
templated organisation,  and  officers  were  appoini:ed  to  serve  in  it. 
That  tli.M'o  were  marines  in  the  squadron  of  Commodore  Hopkins, 
is  known  from  the  fact  of  their  having  been  landed  at  New  Provi- 
dence, where  they  were  the  assailing  i()rce  ;  but  even  the  greater 
portion  of  the  sea  officers,  employed  on  that  occasion,  had  merely 
letters  of  appointment,  and,  it  is  to  be  presuni-d,  that  such  was  also 
t!ie  case  with  the  gentlemen  of  this  arm.  Ti  following  list  of  the 
officers  of  the  marine  corps,  who  were  appointed  in  June,  1776,  con- 
tains the  names  of  those  who  properly  formed  the  nucleusof  this  im- 
portant and  respectable  part  of  the  navy. 

Officers  of  Marines  appointed  June  25<A,  1776. 
Samuel  Nichols,  Major. 
Andrew  Porter,  Captain. 
Joseph  Hardy,       do. 


;1 


4 


1775-83.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


145 


Samuel  Shaw, 
Bcnj.  Deane, 
Robert  Mullin, 
John  Stewart, 


Captain, 
do. 
do. 
do. 

Paniel  Henderson,  First  Lieutenant. 

David  Lowe,  do. 

FrankHn  Read,  do. 

Peregrine  Brown,  do. 

Thomas  Barnwell,  do. 

James  McClure,  Second  Lieutenant 

William  Gilmore,  do. 

Abel  Morgan,  do. 

Hugh  Montgomery,         do. 

Richard  Harrison,  do. 

Other  nominations  followed,  from  time  to  time,  though  it  is  be- 
lieved that  in  many  cases,  officers  commanding  ships,  were  em- 
powered to  give  letters  of  appointment.  In  short,  the  irregularity 
and  want  of  system  that  prevailed  in  the  navy  generally,  extended 
in  a  degree  to  a  branch  of  it  that  is  usually  so  trained,  so  methodical 
and  certain. 

At  no  period  of  the  naval  history  of  the  world,  is  it  probable  that 
marines  were  more  important  than  during  the  war  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. In  many  instances  they  preserved  the  vessels  to  the  country, 
by  suppressing  the  turbulence  of  their  ill-assorted  crews,  and  the  ef- 
fect of  their  fire,  not  only  then,  but  in  all  the  subsequent  conflicts, 
under  those  circumstances  in  which  it  could  be  resorted  to,  has 
usually  been  singularly  creditable  to  their  steadiness  and  discipline. 
The  history  of  the  navy,  even  at  that  early  day,  as  well  as  in  these 
later  times,  abounds  with  instances  of  the  gallantry  and  self-devo- 
tion of  this  body  of  soldiers,  and  we  should  be  unfaithful  to  our  trust, 
were  we  not  to  add,  that  it  also  furnishes  too  may  proofs  of  the  for-, 
getfulness  of  its  merits  by  the  country.  The  marine  incurs  the  same 
risks  from  disease  and  tempests,  undergoes  the  same  privations,  suf- 
fers the  same  hardships,  and  sheds  his  blood  in  the  same  battles  as 
the  seaman,  and  society  owes  him  the  same  rewards.  While  on 
shipboard  necessity  renders  him  in  a  certain  sense,  the  subordinate, 
but  nations  ought  never  to  overlook  the  important  moral  and  politi- 
cal truth,  that  the  highest  lessons  they  can  teach  are  those  of  justice  ; 
and  no  servant  of  the  public  should  pass  a  youth  of  toil  and  danger, 
without  the  consciousness  of  possessing  a  claim  to  a  certain  and 
honourable  reward,  that  is  dependent  only  on  himself.  That  this 
reward  has  hitherto  been  as  unwisely  us  it  has  been  unfairly  withheld, 
from  all  connected  with  the  navy,  it  is  our  duty  as  historians  to  state, 
and  in  no  instance  has  this  justice  been  more  signally  denied,  than 
in  the  case  of  the  honourable  and  gallant  corps  of  which  we  are  par- 
ticularly writing. 

It  remains  only  to  say  that  the  navy  of  the  Revolution,  like  its 
army,  was  disbanded  at  the  termination  of  the  struggle,  literally 
leaving  nothing  behind  it,  but  the  recollections  of  its  services  and 
suficrings. 

VOL.    I.  10 


;.- 


i? 


146 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1783. 


1^' 


CHAPTER  XIV 

First  vessel  to  China— -Adoption  of  the  Union— -its  efFcct  on  the  navy— -DifBcultlcs  with 
tlicDoyof  Algiers— -John  PaulJoucsoppoiiUed  consul— -His  (lesth  at  Paris— Capture 
of  Ar.rjrican  vessels  l>y  an  Ali^erine  s(iun(iron— -Wurlilie  preparations— -Mr.  Hum- 
present  to 


phr(>y  B  models  for  six  new  frigates  accented— -the  improvements  deseribcd- 
ol'  tlie  commanders  selected— Treaty  with  Algiers—- The  Crescent  made  a  pr 


L'par 


coriis  cstaMishcd-— Whole  authorised  force  of  the  navy 


TirE  peace  of  1783  found  the  finances  of  the  new  repubhc  nUo- 
o-etlier  unequal  to  the  support  of  a  marine.  Most  of  the  public; 
cruisers,  as  has  been  seen,  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy, 
or  had  been  destroyed,  and  the  fbw  that  remained  were  sold.  The 
Alliance,  which  appears  to  have  been  the  favourite  ship  of  the  ser- 
vice to  the  very  last,  was  reluctantly  parted  M'ith  ;  but  n  survey 
beino-  held  on  her,  she  was  also  disposed  of  in  September,  1785,  in 
preference  to  encountering  the  expenses  of  repairs. 

Althoun^h  the  United  States  now  kept  no  vessels  of  war,  several 
of  the  states  themselves,  with  the  consent  of  Congress,  which  was 
necessary  by  the  articles  of  confederation,  had  small  cruisers  of  their 
own,  that  did  the  duties  of  guarda-costas  and  revenue  cutters.  At 
this  period  in  the  history  of  tlie  country,  it  will  be  remend)ered  that 
each  state  had  its  own  custom-houses,  levied  its  own  duties,  and 
pursued  its  own  policy  in  trade,  with  the  single  exception  that  it 
could  not  contravene  any  stipulation  by  treaty  that  had  been  en- 
tered into  by  Congress. 

After  the  peace,  the  trade  of  the  United  States  revived,  as  a  matter 
•of  course,  though  it  had  to  contend  with  maiiy  difficulties,  besides 
the  impoverished  condition  of  the  country.  It  has  been  a  matter  of 
question  what  vessel  first  carried  the  American  flag  into  the  Chinese 
seas,  but  there  can  be  no  dotd)t  that  it  was  the  ship  Empress  of  China, 
Captain  Green,  which  sailed  from  New  York,  the  22d  of  February, 
1784,  and  returned  to  the  same  port  on  the  11th  of  May,  1785. 
This  vessel,  however,  did  not  make  a  direct  voyage,  touching  in 
Europe,  on  her  outward-bound  passage ;  and  the  lionour  of  going 
direct  belongs  to  the  Enterprise,  Captain  Dean,  a  sloop  of  80  tons, 
built  in  Albany,  which  went  and  returned  in  1785.  It  ought  to  be 
mentioned,  to  the  credit  of  the  English  factory  at  Canton,  that, 
notwithstanding  the  jealousies  and  interests  of  trade,  which,  perhaps, 
oftener  lead  to  unprincipled  acts,  than  any  other  one  coJicern  of 
life,  struck  with  the  novelty  and  boldness  of  the  experiment,  it  re- 
ceived these  adventurers  with  kindness  and  hospitality.  In  1787  the 
Alliance  frigate,  converted  into  an  Indiaman,  went  to  Canton,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Thomas  Read,  formerly  of  the  navy.  This 
officer  took  a  new  route,  actually  going  to  the  soutliMard  of  New 
Holland,  in  consequence  of  the  season  of  the  year,  which  had  brought 
him  into  the  unfavourable  monsoons.     Notwithstanding  this  long 


and 


=  [.[ 


1789.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


147 


circuit,  the  noble  old  ship  made  the  passage  in  very  tolerable  time. 
Captain  Read  discovered  some  islands  to  the  eastward  of  New 
Holland. 

The  period  butwecn  the  peace  and  the  year  1 788,  was  one  of 
troubles,  insurrections  in  the  states,  and  difficulties  growing  out  of 
the  defective  political  organisation  of  the  country.  To  these  griev- 
ances may  be  ad<led  the  cnibarrnssments  arising  from  the  renewal 
of  the  claims  ot  the  British  merchants,  that  had  been  suspended  by 
the  war.  All  these  circumstances  united  to  produce  uncertainty  and 
distress.  Discreet  men  saw  the  necessity  of  a  change  of  system,  and 
the  results  of  the  collected  wisdom  or*  the  nation  were  offered  to  the 
world  in  a  plan  for  substituting  the  constitution  of  an  identified 
government,  in  the  place  of  ihe  articles  of  association,  and  of  creating 
what  has  since  been  popularly  termed  the  Union,  in  lieu  of  the  old 
Confederation.  T lie  scheme  was  adopted,  and  in  April  1789,  the 
new  government  went  into  operation,  with  Washington  at  its  head, 
as  President. 

The  entire  military  organisation  underwent  many  important  alter- 
ations, by  this  change  of  government.  The  President  became  the 
commander-in-chief  of  both  the  army  and  navy,  and  he  possessed 
the  civil  power  of  ap])ointing  their  officers,  subject  only  to  the  appro- 
bation of  a  senate,  which  was  also  instituted  on  this  occasion,  and  to 
a  few  subordinate  regulations  of  Congress.  In  addition  to  this  high 
trust,  was  confided  to  him  one  of  still  heavier  responsibilities,  by 
which  he  could  dismiss  any  civil  or  military  officer,  the  judges  ex- 
cepted, however  high  his  rank,  or  lonjj  his  services.  The  supplies 
were  raised  directly  by  the  federal  power,  without  the  intervention 
of  the  states;  and  the  entire  government,  within  the  circle  of  its 
authority,  became  as  direct  and  as  efficient  as  that  of  any  other  polity 
which  possessed  the  representative  form. 

The  beneficial  consequences  of  these  fundamental  alterations  were 
visible  in  all  the  departments  of  the  country.  It  was  deemed  pre- 
mature, nevertheless,  to  think  of  the  re-establishment  of  a  marine ; 
for,  oppressed  with  debt,  and  menaced  with  a  renewal  of  the  war 
with  England,  the  administration  of  Washington  was  cautiously,  and 
with  the  greatest  prudence,  endeavouring  to  extricate  the  country 
from  the  various  entanglements  that  were  perhaps  inseparable  from 
its  peculiar  condition,  and  to  set  in  motion  the  machinery  of  a  new 
and  an  entirely  novel  mode  of  conducting  the  affairs  of  a  state.  While 
Washington,  and  his  ministers,  appeared  to  be  fully  sensible  of  the 
iirportance  of  a  navy,  the  poverty  of  the  treasury  alone  would  have 
been  deemed  an  insuperable  objection  to  encountering  its  expense. 
Still,  so  evident  was  the  connexion  between  an  efficient  government 
and  a  permanent  and  strong  marine,  in  a  country  like  this,  that  when 
Paul  Jones  first  heard  of  the  change,  he  prepared  to  return  to  Ameri- 
ca in  the  confident  hope  of  being  again  employed. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  discovering  that  a  new 
country  had  started  into  existence,  which  possessed  merchant  vessels 
and  no  cruis(>rs,  as  a  ninttcr  of  cotu'se  began  to  prey  on  its  commerce. 
On  tlie'ioth  of  July,  178.>,  the  schooner  Maria,  belonging  to  Boston, 


'J 


i  1- 


All 


u 


I 

\ 


I:':; " 


t- 


I 


148 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


L1794. 


was  seized,  outside  of  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  by  a  corsair,  and  her 
crew  were  carried  into  slavery.  This  unprovoked  piracy, — though 
committed  under  the  forms  of  a  legal  government,  the  act  deserves 
th, .  .eproach,— was  followed,  on  the  30th  of  the  same  month,  by  the 
capture  of  the  ship  Dolphin,  of  Philadelphia,  Captain  O'Brien,  who, 
with  all  his  people,  was  made  to  share  the  same  fate.  On  the  9th 
of  July,  1790,  or  a  twelvemonth  nfter  the  organisation  of  the  federal 
government,  tliere  still  remained  in  captivity,  fourteen  of  tlie  unfortu- 
nate persons  who  had  been  thus  seized.  Of  course  five  bitter  years 
had  passed  in  slavery,  because,  at  the  period  named,  the  United 
States  of  America,  the  country  to  which  they  belonged  did  not  pos- 
sess sufficient  naval  force  to  compel  the  petty  tyrant  at  the  head  of 
the  Aln-crine  government  to  do  justice!  In  looking  hack  at  events 
like  these,  we  feel  it  difficult  to  persuade  ourselves  that  the  nation 
was  really  so  powerless,  and  cannot  but  suspect  that  in  the  strife  of 
parties,  the  struggles  of  opinion,  and  the  pursuit  of  gain,  the  suffer- 
ings of  the  distant  captive  were  overlooked  or  forgotten.  One  of  the 
first  advantages  of  the  new  system,  was  connected  with  the  measures 
taken  by  the  administration  of  Washington  to  relieve  these  unfortu- 
nate persons.  A  long  and  weary  negotiation  ensued,  and  Paul  Jones 
was  appointed,  in  1792,  to  be  an  agent  for  effecting  the  liberation  of 
the  captives.  At  the  same  time,  a  commission  was  also  sent  to  him, 
naming  him  consul  at  the  regency  of  Algiers.  This  celebrated  man, 
for  whose  relief  these  nominations  were  probably  made,  was  dead 
before  the  arrival  of  the  different  commissions  at  Paris.  A  second 
agent  was  named  in  the  person  of  Mr.  Barclay ;  but  this  gentleman 
also  died  before  he  could  enter  on  the  duties  of  the  office. 

Algiers  nntl  Portugal  had  long  been  at  war,  and,  though  the  latter 
government  seldom  resorted  to  active  measures  against  the  town  of 
its  enemy,  it  was  very  useful  to  the  rest  of  the  Christian  world,  by 
maintaining  a  strong  force  in  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  rendering  it 
difficult  fur  any  rover  to  find  her  way  out  of  the  Mediterranean. 
Contrary  to  all  expectations,  this  war  was  suddenly  terminated  in 
179-3,  through  the  agency  of  the  British  consul  at  Algiers,  and,  as  it 
was  said,without  the  knowledge  of  the  Portuguese  government.  This 
peace  or  truce,  allowed  the  Algcrine  rovers  to  come  again  into 
the  Atlantic,  and  its  consequences  to  the  American  commerce  were 
soon  apparent.  A  squadron  consisting  of  four  ships,  three  xebecks, 
and  a  brig,  immediately  passed  the  straits,  and  by  the  9th  of  October, 
1793,  four  more  American  vessels  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  these 
lawless  barbarians.  At  the  same  time,  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  who  had 
commenced  this  quarrel  without  any  other  pretence  than  a  demand 
for  tribute,  refused  all  accommodations,  even  menacing  the  person 
of  the  minister  appointed  by  the  American  government,  should  he 
venture  to  appear  within  his  dominions  !  During  the  first  cruise 
of  the  vessels  mentioned,  they  captured  ten  Americans,  and  made 
one  hundred  and  five  additional  prisoners. 

These  depredations  had  now  reached  a  pass  when  further  sub- 
mission became  impossible,  without  a  total  abandonment  of  those 
rights,  that  it  is  al)3olutcly  requisite  for  every  independent  govern- 


1794.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


149 


mcnt  to  rtiuintain.  The  cabinet  took  the  Nuliject  into  grave  deiiber* 
ation,  and  on  tlie  3d  of  March,  1794,  tlic  President  sent  a  inessuge 
to  Congress,  communicating  all  the  facts  connected  with  the  Algerine 
depredations.  On  the  27th  of  the  same  month,  a  law  was  approved 
by  the  executive,  authorising  the  construction,  or  the  purchase  of 
six  iVigntos,  or  of  such  other  naval  force,  that  should  not  be  inferior 
to  that  of  the  six  frigates  named,  as  the  President  might  see  fit  to 
order,  provided  no  vessel  should  mount  less  than  32  guns.  This  law 
had  a  direct  reference  to  the  existing  difRcuIties  with  Algiers,  and  it 
contained  u  paragraph  ordering  that  all  proceedings  under  its  pro- 
visions should  cease,  in  the  event  of  an  accommodation  of  the  quarrel 
witli  that  regency.  Notwithstanding  this  limit  to  the  action  of  the 
law,  the  latter  may  be  considered  the  first  step  taken  towards  the 
establishment  of  the  present  navy,  as  some  of  the  ships  that  wefe 
eventually  constructed  under  it  are  still  in  use,  and  some  of  the  offi- 
cers who  were  appointed  to  them,  passed  the  remainder  of  their  lives 
in  the  .'^ervice. 

The  executive  was  no  sooner  authorised  to  proceed  by  the  law  of 
the  27lh  of  March,  1794,  than  measures  were  taken  to  build  the  ves- 
sels ordered.  The  provision  of  the  first  paragraph  was  virtually  fol- 
lowed, and  the  six  frigates  were  laid  down  as  soon  as  possible.  These 
vessels  were  the 


Constitution 

44, 

laid  down  at  Boston. 

Prosiident 

44, 

New  York. 

United  States 

44. 

Philadelphia. 

Chesapeake 

38, 

Portsmouth,  Va. 

Constellation 

38, 

Baltimore. 

Congress 

38, 

Portsmouth,^.  H. 

The  most  capable  builders  in  the  country  were  consulted,  the 
models  of  Mr.  Joshua  Humphreys,  of  Philadelphia*  being  those  ac- 
cepted. On  this  occasion,  an  imjxjrtant  and  recent  improvement  in 
ship-building  was  adopted,  by  which  frigates  were  increased  in  size 
ahd  in  eflTieiency,  by  so  far  lengthening  them,  as  to  give  to  ships  on 
one  dock,  the  metal  that  had  formerly  been  distributed  on  two.  The 
three  ships  first  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  list,  were  of  this  class  of 
vessels,  being  pierced  for  thirty  twenty-four-pounders,  on  their  gun- 
decks,  while  their  upper-deck  armanicnts  varied  with  circumstances. 
On  this  occasion  they  were  rated  as  forty-fours,  a  description  of  ves- 
sel that  had  previously  borne  its  guns  on  two  decks,  besides  the 
quarter-d(>ek  and  forecastle.  The  others  were  of  the  force  of  the 
^.ommon  English  thirty-eights,  carrying  28  eighteens  below,  and  as 
many  lighter  guns  above  as  was  deemed  expedient.  From  a  want 
of  system,  the  Chesapeake  was  known  in  the  accounts  of  the  day  as 
a  forty-foiM",  and  she  even  figures  in  the  reports  under  the  law,  as  a 
vessel  of  that  rale,  owing  to  the  circumstance  that  she  was  originally 
intended  for  a  ship  of  (hat  force  and  size.     In  consequence  of  a  diffi- 

•  TIio  idon  (ifr()n.«tnu'tin,!»  sliips  of  heavy  metal,  on  one  deck,  lias  been  claimed  for  this 
arcliiu;ct.  Witli  whom  ihe  tliontdit  originated  we  do  not  pretend  to  say.  The  Indien, 
within  tiie  revolution,  was  certainly  a  veascl  of  that  class,  and  the  English  had  a  few 
twenty-&iiri)ounder  frigates  as  early  as  the  Americans. 


I        !l 


150 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1795. 


culty  in  ohtiiiiihijrtlic;  neccssiiry  frame,  Iior  (liint'iiHlons  wore  Itvisciu'd, 
and  sho  took  her  plac*;  in  the  nnvy,  l>y  llic  side  of  the  two  vohscIm  last 
mentioned  on  tlu;  foregoinjr  list.  Unt  ho  nnirh  inaccuracy  existcul 
nt  that  day,  and  the  popnhir  acconnts  ah«)und  witli  tut  many  errors  of 
this  nature,  that  we  shall  find  many  occasioiH  to  correct  siiniilar  mis- 
takes, hefore  we  reach  n  perimi  when  the  nervice  was  hroM<,'lit  witliin 
the  rules  of  a  uniform  and  consistent  system. 

In  seFectinjf  ccMumanders  for  these  ships,  the  President  very  natu- 
rally turned  to  those  old  ofticj'rs  who  had  prov<(l  themselves  fit  for 
the  stations,  durinw  tlie  war  of  the  Revolution.  Many  of  the  naval 
captains  of  that  fryino;  period,  however,  were  already  dead,  and  of  hers, 
njjain,  had  become  incapacitated  by  ajjfi!  and  wounds,  for  the  arduous 
duties  of  sea-officere.  The  following  is  the  list  selecteil,  wiiich  took 
rank  in  the  order  in  which  the  names  appear,  viz  : — 
John  Barry,  Joshua  IJarney, 

Samuel  Nicholson,  Richard  Dale, 

Silas  Talbot,  Thomas  Truxtun. 

With  the  exception  of  Captain  Truxtun,  all  of  these  jj^entFcnieri 
had  served  in  the  navy  during  the  Revolution.  Captain  Barry  was 
the  only  one  of  the  six  who  was  not  born  in  America,  but  he  had 
passed  nearly  all  his  life  in  it,  and  was  thoroughly  identified  with 
his  adopted  country  in  feeling  and  interests.  He  had  often  distin- 
guished himself  during  the  preceding  war,  and,  i>erhaj)s,  of  all  the 
naval  captain;?  that  remained,  he  was  the  one  who  possessed  the 
greatest  reputation  for  experience,  conduct  and  skill.  The  appoint- 
ment met  with  general  approbation,  nor  did  any  thing  ever  occur  to 
give  the  government  reason  to  regret  its  selection. 

Captain  Nicholson  had  served  with  credit  in  subordinate  situa- 
tions, in  command  of  the  Hague,  or  Deane  32,  and  in  one  instance, 
nt  the  head  of  a  small  squadron.  This  officer  also  commanded  the 
Dolphin  10,  the  cutter  that  the  con>inissionei*s  sent  with  Captain 
Wickes,  in  his  successful  cruise  in  the  narrow  seas. 

Captain  Talbot's  career  was  singular,  for  though  connected  with 
the  sea  in  his  youth,  he  had  entered  the  army,  at  the  conunencement 
of  the  Revolution,  and  was  twice  promoted  in  that  branch  of  the  ser- 
vice, for  galhmtry  and  skill  on  the  water.  This  gentleman  had  been 
raised  to  the  midt  of  a  captain  in  the  navy,  in  1771),  but  he  ha>l  never 
been  able  to  obtain  a  ship.  Subsequently  to  the  war.  Captain  Tal- 
bot had  retired  froni  the  sea,  and  he  had  actually  served  one  t(!rm  in 
Congress. 

Captain  Barney  had  served  as  a  lieutenant  in  many  actions,  and 
commanded  the  Pennsylvania  state  cruiser,  the  Hyder  Ally,  when 
she  took  the  General  Monk.  This  offic<T  declined  his  nj>})ointment 
in  consequence  of  having  been  put  Junior  to  Lieut.  Colonel  Talbot, 
and  Captain  Sever  was  named  in  his  ]>lace. 

Captain  Dale  had  been  Paid  J«)nes''  lirst  lieutenant,  b(!sides  seeing 
much  other  service  in  subordinate  stations  during  the  war  of  the  Rev- 
olution. 

Captain  Truxtun  had  a  reputation  far  spirit  that  his  subsequent 


1796.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


351 


uui'i'cr  fully  jiistifictl,  and  liml  hccii  inuuli  service  during  the  Uuvulu- 
tiun,  iu  counuiiiid  uf  dilVrrt'Ut  private  vesseid  uf  war. 

Tlu'  rauk  of  the  suhordiualc  otVieerH  evontually  appointed  to  tli(^8v 
.sliip.s,\vasd<'lerniih('d  l>y  thai  oftheditVerent  coniniander-<,  tlu;  senior 
lieutenant  of  (^tptaiu  Uarry*s  vessel  takin<;  rankof  all  the  other  lirst 
lieutenants,  and  the  junior  oiVieers  accordingly. 

All  these  preparations,  liowev(>r,  were  sudtlenly  suspended  by  the 
t»is(niuj(  of  a  treaty  with  Alfjirrs,  in  Nov.  1795.  By  a  provision  of 
the  law,  th(>  work  was  not  to  he  prosecuted  in  the  event  of  such  n 
peace,  and  the  President  innnediately  called  the  attention  of  Con- 
gress to  the  suhject.  A  new  act  was  passed,  without  delay,  ordering 
the  eonipletion  and  eipiipnient  of  two  of  the  forty-fours,  and  of  one 
of  the  thirty-eights,  while  it  dir(>cted  the  work  on  the  remaining  throe 
8hips  to  he  stopped,  and  the  perishahh;  ))ortion  of  their  materials  to 
bu  sold.  A  sum  wiiicli  had  als«t  been  voted  for  the  construction  of 
some  galleys,  but  no  part  of  which  had  yet  been  used,  was  applied  to 
the  equipment  of  these  vessels  ordered  to  be  launched.* 

The  President,  in  his  annual  speech  to  Congress,  Dcccnd)or,  1796, 
strongly  recommended  laws  for  the  gradual  increase  of  the  navy. 
It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  as  app<'  >rs  by  document.s  published  at 
the  time,  the  peace  obtained  from  the  Dey  of  Algiers  cost  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States  near  a  million  of  dollars,  a  sum  quite  sudi- 
cient  to  have  kept  the  baibarian's  ])ort  hermetically  blockaded  until 
ho  should  have  Innnbly  suetl  for  permission  to  send  a  craft  to  sea. 

While  these  events  were  gradually  leading  to  the  formation  of  a 
navy,  the  maritime  powers  of  Europe  became  involved  in  what  was 
nearly  a  general  war,    and  their  measures  of  hostility  against  each 

*  Tlu>  n^mtiT  will  obtain  f»oino  iilon  of  tho  cpirit  wliioli  mftv  pmvail  in  a  nation,  whon  it 
dot's  not  jtoss«>8'»,  or  nojilwtj*  to  U9t>,  tlio  nu<aus  of  cuiisini;  its  ri,!,'lits  and  cbnraotcr  to  bo 
res|H'('tnl.  I)y  tlu<  lono  of  llu'  follow  ini;  artii'lf,  wliich  is  cxiratHoil  from  a  journal  of  tho 
flati-  of  17!>."»,  unit  wbirh  would  wi-m  to  bt>  as  niurh  in  unison  witli  tlio  toinpcr  of  that  day, 
nsono  of  an  opiMwito  obnrartor  would  ooniport  with  tho  spirit  of  our  own  tinioH.  Ak'icrs 
will  not  oxtort  iriliuto  ui;ain  from  AnitM'ica,  but  other  riuiits,  not  loss  dear  to  national  hon- 
our, national  cliaracttT,  and  national  intcrt'sts,  in;iy  ho  pacrinccd  to  a  tomporisiny;  .si)irit, 
should  not  thr  navy  b».>  enl'\rijv'd,  nnd  made  tho  hi  sliest  aim  of  national  policy. 

"  Crescent  Frignte. 

"  Portamouth,  Jan.  20. 
"  On  Thursday  tnorninu:  alnHit  sunris«>.  a  irun  was  disohnrc'cd  from  the  Cn-sucnt  friu;atc, 
Rs  n  si.rnal  for  i:«'ttinijr  umlor  way  ;  nnd  at  10,  A .  M.,  she  cleared  tho  harbour,  with  a  fine 
loading  bn'i'/.o.  Dur  best  wishes  folUiw  ('aptain  Newman,  his  olHcors  and  men.  May 
llu>y  arrive  in  saf-ty  at  the  place  of  their  destiiiiii>n,  and  jiresent  to  the  Dey  of  Ali-'iors, 
one  of  the  linesi  specimens  of  elegant  mival  architecture  which  was  ever  Dome  on  the 
Piseutatpia's  waten*. 

"  Blow  all  yo  winds  that  fill  tho  prosperous  sail, 
And  hush'd  in  peace  bo  every  adver.se  gale. 

"  The  Crtvtvat  is  a  ,.it^aout  fn>m  the  United  States  to  tho  Dey,  as  compensation  for  de- 
lay in  not  lullilling  our  treaty  stipulations  in  proper  time. 

"  llielrird  O'Hrien,  Ksij.,  who  was  ten  years  a  prisoner  at  Algiers,  look  passaqcin  the 
above  friirate,  and  is  to  n>side  at  Algiers  a's  Consul  General  of  the  United  States  to  all  tho 
Barl>;iry  states. 

"  The  Crescent  has  many  valuable  presents  on  board  for  tho  Dey,  and  whon  she  sailed 
was  supp(>st>d  to  bi>  worth  at  least  ffinvhiin'ired  fhoiixund  dollars. 

"  Twenty-six  barnds  of  dollars  ctmstituted  a  part  of  her  cargo. 

"  It  is  wtuthy  of  nnniirk,  that  the  captain,  chief  of  the  olBccrB,  and  many  of  the  privates 
of  the  Cresivnl  frigate,  have  l)ccu  prisoners  at  Algiers." 


152 


NAVAL  IIISTOIIV. 


[1798. 


other  luul  u  direct  atulcuicy  to  tri-HpusH  on  flu-  priviU-j^rH  of  lU'iifralg. 
It  woiihl  i;xc<'r<l  llu!  limits  of  tliiH  work  to  nitrr  iiitotlu' history  of  iluit 
■yHtnn  of  griuhml  oiicroachniL'iitH  oiithi;  ri<{ht«  ofthi;  Ann  ricaii  pco- 
ph',  which  diHtinfjriiiwhcd  the  iiicuwiIith  of  hoth  the  two  jrieut  hcMi^ror- 
eiits,  ill  the  war  that  Hucceechul  th(!  FreiK  h  Uevohition  ;  or  the  h(i<(ht 
of  atnhicity  to  which  the  criiiserrt  of  l-'ram^e,  in  piirticiihir,  carried 
their  depredations,  most  |)rohahly  niistakini;  the  nuioiuit  of  the  iMlIii- 
cnce  of  their  own  coinitry,  over  the  jrieat  liody  of  the  American  nu- 
ti<Mi.  Not  only  did  they  captin-c  Itritish  shipa  within  oiu-  waters,  but 
they  actually  took  the  same  liherties  with  Americans  also.  All 
nttenipts  to  obtain  redress  of  the  Fnsindi  gov<'rnment  failed,  and  un- 
file to  Hubniit  any  h)njj;cr  to  such  injustice,  the  |;^overnnn'nt,  in  April, 
1(0S,  reconiinended  to  C^ongress  a  plan  of  arnutment  and  defence, 
that  it  was  hoped  wouM  have  the  effect  to  check  theses  ajjfjressions, 
and  nv<'rt  an  open  conflict.  Down  to  this  period,  the  wln)le  military 
detl-nce  of  the  country,  was  entrusted  to  one  department,  ihatof  war; 
and  a  letter  from  tin;  secretary  of  this  brunch  of  the  jjovernment,  to 
the  chairman  of  u  conunittee  t(»  devise  means  of  protection  and  de- 
fence, was  the  form  in  which  this  hijrh  interest  was  bron^dit  before 
the  nation,  through  its  representatives.  Twenty  Hinall  vessels  were 
advised  to  be  built,  and,  in  the  event  of  an  open  rupture,  it  was  re- 
connneuded  to  Coniyress  to  authorise  the  President  to  cause  six  ships 
of  the  line  to  be  constructed.  This  force  was  in  addition  to  the  six 
fri»(ates  authorised  by  the  law  of  171)4. 

The  United  States  14,  Constitution  44,  und  Constellation  88,  had 
been  s^ot  afloat  the  year  previous.  These  three  ships  are  still  in  the 
service,  and  duriiifj  the  last  forty  years,  neither  has  ever  been  lon<j; 
outof  cwininission. 

The  United  States  was  the  first  vessel  that  was  got  into  the  water, 
und(;r  the  present  orjUfanisaticm  of  the  navy.  She  was  launched  at 
Philadelpliia,  on  the  lOtli  of  July,  1797,  und  the  Constellation  fol- 
lowed her  on  the  7th  of  Sejitember. 

Congress  acted  so  far  on  the  recommendation  of  the  secretary  of 
war,  as  to  authorise  the  President  to  cause  to  be  built,  purchaseil,  or 
hired,  twelve  vessels,  none  of  which  were  to  exceed  twenty-two  juiins, 
and  to  sec  that  they  were  duly  ecpiipped  and  manned.  To  eflect 
these  objects  ,4i9o0,000  were  appropriated.  This  law  jiassed  tlie27lh 
of  April,  1798,  and  on  the  IJOtb,  a  regular  navy  department  was 
formally  created.  Benjamin  Stoddart  of  Georgetown  in  the  District 
of  Columbia,  was  the  first  secretary  put  at  the  head  of  this  important 
branch  of  the  government,  entering  on  his  duties  in  June  of  the  same 
year. 

Afler  so  long  and  so  extraordinary  a  forgetfulness  of  one  of  the 
most  important  interests  of  the  nation.  Congress  now  seemed  to  be 
in  earnest ;  the  depredations  of  the  French  having  reached  a  pass 
that  could  no  longer  be  submitted  to  with  honour.  On  the  4th  of 
May,  a  new  appropriation  was  made  for  the  construction  of  galleys 
nnd  other  small  vessels,  and  on  the  28th  of  the  same  month,  the 
President  was  empowered  to  Instruct  the  commanders  of  the  public 
vessels  to  capture  and  sen  1  into  port  all  French  cruisers,  whether 


1798.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


153 


, 


public  or  private;,  tliiit  inif^lit  hu  fimiid  on  tlio  coast,  having  coiniiiittcd, 
or  which  then;  was  ruaHoii  to  HuppoNu  might  coniinii,  any  dcprcdu- 
tiuiiH  on  the  coriiinercc  of  thu  country  ;  anci,  to  recapture  any  Anior< 
ican  vcMHcl  that  niij^ht  have  already  lUllen  into  their  liainls.  Addi- 
tional  Imwh  were  hoou  pauNed  for  the  eundetiination  of  nucIi  prizes, 
and  for  the  Haf<!  keeping  of  their  crewH.  In  June  another  law  wum 
paHseti,  authorising  the  President  to  accept  of  twelve  more  vewsels  of 
war,  slioidd  they  he  otVered  to  him  by  the  citizeuH,  and  to  i^4sue  pub- 
lie  stock  in  payment.  ]{y  a  clauHc  in  this  act,  it  was  provided  that 
these  twelve  ships,  as  well  as  the  twelve  <lirectcd  to  be  jjrocured  in  the 
law  of  the 'J7th  of  April  of  the  same  year,  should  consist  of  six  not 
exc(!eding  IH  ifuns,  of  twelve  between  20  and  ii4  g  mis,  and  of  six  of 
not  less  than  !)'i  guns.  The  cautious  manner  in  which  the  natioiuil 
legislature  proceedid,  on  this  occasion,  will  remind  the  reader  of  the 
reserve  used  in  1775,  and  1770  ;  and  wc  trace  distinctly,  in  l)oth  in- 
stances, the  moderation  of  a  people  averse  to  war,  no  less  thuj  a 
strong  reluctance  to  break  the  ties  of  an  ancient  but  nmch  abuHed 
amity. 

Down  to  this  moment,  the  old  treaty  of  alliance,  formed  between 
France  and  the  United  States  during  the  war  of  the  Rcvolui'on,  and 
some  subsequent  conventions,  were  legally  in  ex  stence  ;  hut  (.'oi» 
gress  by  hi^  solcmidy  abrogated  them  all,  on  the  7th  of  July,  179'  - 
on  the  plea  that  they  had  been  renpeatedly  disregarded  by  Franks 
and  that  the  latter  country  continued,  in  the  face  of  the  most  solemn 
remonstrances,  to  uphold  a  system  of  predatory  warfare  .«  I'le  com- 
merce of  the  United  States. 

It  will  be  seen  that  an  express  declaration  of  war  was  avoided  in 
all  these  measures,  nor  was  it  resorted  to,  at  uU,  throughout  this  con- 
troversy, although  war,  in  fact,  existed  from  the  moment  the  first 
American  cruisers  appeared  on  the  ocean.  On  the  9th  of  July,  1798, 
another  law  passed,  authorising  the  American  vessels  of  war  to  cap- 
ture French  cruisers  wherever  they  might  be  found,  and  empowering 
the  Pr<!sident  to  issue  commissions  to  private  armed  vessels,  convey- 
ing to  them  the  same  rights  as  regarded  captures,  as  had  been  given 
to  the  public  ships.  By  this  act,  the  prizes  became  liable  to  condem- 
nation, for  the  benefit  of  the  captors. 

On  the  llth  of  July,  1798,  a  new  marine  corps  was  established  by 
law,  the  old  one  having  dissolved  with  the  nf> .  v  ^f  the  Revolution,  to 
which  it  had  properly  belon<red.  It  contained  vi81  officers,  non-com- 
missioned officers,  musicians  and  privates,  and  was  comnmndcd  by 
a  major.  On  the  KUh  of  the  same  month,  a  law  was  passed  to  con- 
struct three  more  frigates.  This  act  was  expressed  in  such  terms  as 
to  enable  the  government  immediatoly  to  complete  the  ships  com- 
menced under  the  law  of  179-1,  and  whicli  hod  been  suspended  under 
that  of  1796.  The  whole  force  authorised  by  law,  on  the  ICth  of 
July,  consequently,  consisted  of  twelve  frigates  ;  twelve  ships  of  a 
force  between  20  and  24  guns,  inclusive  ;  and  six  smaller  sloops,  be- 
sides galleys  and  revenue  cutters  ;  making  a  total  of  thirty  active 
cruisers. 

Such  is  the  liistory  of  the  legislation  that  gave  rise  to  the  present 


■  ■ 


!     ! 


134 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1798. 


American  marine,  and  which  led  to  what  is  commonly  called  the 
quasi  war  against  France.  There  appears  to  have  heen  no  enact- 
ments limiting  the  number  of  the  officers,  who  were  appointed  ac- 
cording to  the  wants  of  the  service,  though  their  stations  and  allow- 
ances were  duly  regulated  by  law. 

While  the  government  of  the  United  States  was  taking  ihese  incip- 
ient and  efficient  steps  to  defend  the  rights  and  character  of  the  na- 
tion, the  better  feeling  of  the  country  was  entirely  in  its  favour. 
Families  of  the  highest  social  and  j)olitieal  influence  pressed  forward 
to  offer  their  sons  to  the  service,  and  the  navy  being  the  favoinite 
branch,  nearly  all  of  those  who  thus  presented  themselves,  and  whose 
ages  did  not  preclude  the  probationary  delay,  had  their  names  en- 
rolled on  the  list  of  midshipmen.  Young  and  inttlligent  seamen 
were  taken  from  the  merchant  service,  to  receivs  the  rank  of  Ueuten- 
ants,  and  the  commanders  and  captains  were  either  chosen  from 
among  those  who  had  seen  service  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution,  or 
who  by  their  experience  in  the  charge  of  Indiamen,  and  other  vessels 
of  value,  were  accustomed  to  responsibility  and  command.  It  may 
bo  well  to  add,  here,  that  the  seamen  of  the  Elation  joined  benrlily  in 
the  feeling  of  tlie  day,  and  that  entire  crews  were  frequently  entered 
for  frisjates  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours.  Want  of  men  was  hardly 
experienced  at  all  in  this  contest ;  and  we  deem  it  a  proof  that  sea- 
men can  always  be  had  in  a  war  thar  ofters  active  service,  by  volun- 
tary enlistments,  ])rovided  an  outlet  be  not  off*ered  to  enterjjrise 
through  the  medium  of  private  cruisers.  Although  commissions  were 
granted  to  privateers  and  letters  of  marque,  on  this  occasion,  com- 
paratively few  of  the  former  were  taken  out,  the  commerce  of  France 
ottering  but  slight  inducements  to  encounter  the  expense. 

During  the  year  1797,  or  previously  to  the  commencement  of  hos- 
tilities between  the  United  States  and  France,  the  exports  of  the 
former  country  amounted  to  $57,000,000,  and  the  shipping  had  in- 
creased to  quite  800,000  tons,  while  the  population,  making  an  esti- 
mate from  the  census  of  1800,  had  risen  to  near  5,000,000.  The 
revenue  of  the  year  was  $8,209,070. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

The  GfincTPs,  C  ;)t.  Ridinrd  Diilo,  is  liroii'.'lit  into  tlic  sorvico  with  orders  to  capture  all 

Frcnclu'rniMTS&i' Citiitun' of  L(!  ("roynlilc,  tiytiic  Dt'lawiiro,  Ciij)!.  Di'c;itiir....\ii- 

val  loi-i'i'  at  st'ii.,..Afl'airol'  tlu;  Halliiiiori!  and  tin;  British  hhip  ('arniitick....Kivc  of  the 
Baltinidic's  crew  are  iniprt'ssed  and  tliree  oflier  convoy  captured... .('apt.  I'hiHJMs  of 
the  HaliinKn'c.  dismissed  from  the  iiavy....Diirerent  oj)inions  resjioctiiiu  Iiis  coniliict.... 
Cafiture  ol  tlio  Retaliation,  Lieut.  HaintiridLre,  l)y  the  Volontairo  and  Ii)siirirent....Es- 
ca|ii;,)f  the  Montezuma  and  Nuifolk.... Return  and  promotion  of  Lieut.  Hainhridgc... 
Captures  of  the  Sans  Pureil  and  laloux. 

Ar/rnoiKJii  three  of  the  fri::Jifesw('re  lainiched  in  1797,  neither  was 
quite  ready  for  service  when  the  necessities  of  the  country  retpiired 


ofC 
the  D 
14,  w 

alrcac 

SOUIK 

her 
Frenc 
demn 
and  t 

Lf 
in  wh 
first 
of  go> 

th 
navy, 
believ 
prefer 
Capta 
the  e." 
men, 

•  Tlic 
tcnaut, 


1798.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY 


155 


that  vessels  should  be  sent  to  sen.  The  want  of  suitable  spars  and 
guns,  and  other  naval  stores,  fit  for  the  ships  of  size,  had  retarded  the 
labour  on  the  frigates,  while  vessels  had  been  readily  bought  for  the 
sloops  of  war,  which,  though  deficient  in  many  of  the  qualities  and 
conveniences  of  regular  cruisers,  were  made  to  answer  the  exigencies 
of  the  times.  Among  others  that  had  been  thus  provided,  was  an  In- 
diamnn,  called  the  Ganges-  Retaining  her  name,  this  vessel  was 
brought  into  the  service,  armed  and  equipped  as  a  24,  and  put  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Richard  Dale,  who  was  ordered  to  sail  on 
a  cruise  on  the  22d  of  May.  This  ship,  then,  was  the  first  man-of- 
war  that  ever  got  to  sea  under  the  present  organisation  of  the  navy, 
or  since  the  United  States  have  existed  under  the  constitution.  C-ip- 
tain  Dale  was  instructed  to  do  no  more  than  pertains  generally  to 
the  authority  of  a  vessel  of  war,  that  is  cruising  on  the  coast  of  the 
country  to  which  she  belongs,  in  a  time  of  peace  ;  the  lawtlijxt  em- 
powered seizures  not  passing  until  a  few  days  after  he  had  sailed. 
His  cruising  ground  extended  from  the  east  end  of  Long  Island  to 
the  capes  of  Virginia,  with  a  view  to  cover,  as  much  as  possible,  the 
three  important  ports  of  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  and  New  York, 
and,  in  anticipation  of  the  act  of  the  28th  of  May,  Captain  Dale  was 
directed  to  appear  oft*  the  capes  of  the  Delaware  on  the  12th  of  June, 
to  receive  new  orders.  On  that  d;iy,  instructions  were  accordingly 
sent  to  him  to  capture  all  French  cruisers  that  were  hovering  on  the 
coast  with  hostile  views  on  the  American  commerce,  and  to  recapture 
any  of  their  prizes  he  might  happen  to  fall  in  with. 

The  Constellation  38,  Captain  Truxtun,  and  the  Delaware  20, 
Captain  Decatur,  next  went  to  sea,  early  in  June,  under  the  last  of 
the  foregoing  orders,  and  with  directions  to  cruise  to  the  southward 
of  Cape  Henry,  as  far  as  the  coast  of  Florida.  When  a  few  days  out, 
the  Delaware  fell  in  with  the  French  privateer  schooner  Le  Croyable 
14,  with  a  crew  of  70  men.  Being  satisfied  that  this  vessel  had 
already  made  several  prizes,  and  that  she  was  actually  cruising  on 
soundings,  in  search  of  more.  Captain  Decatur  took  her,  and  sent 
her  into  the  Delaware.  As  the  law  directing  the  capture  of  all  armed 
French  vessels  passed  soon  after  her  arrival,  Le  Croyable  was  con- 
demned, and  bought  into  the  navy.  She  was  called  the  Retaliation 
and  the  command  of  her  was  given  to  Lieutenant  Bainbridge. 

Le  Croyable  was,  consequently,  not  only  the  first  capture  made, 
in  what  it  is  usual  to  term  the  French  war  of  1798,  but  she  was  the 
first  vessel  ever  taken  by  the  present  navy,  or  under  the  present  form 
of  government. 

The  activity  employed  by  the  administration,  as  well  as  by  the 
navy,  now  astonished  those  who  had  so  long  been  accustomed  to 
believe  the  American  people  disposed  to  submit  to  any  insult,  in 
preference  to  encountering  the  losses  of  war.  The  United  States  '44, 
Captain  Barry,  went  to  sea  early  in  July,  atid  proceeded  to  cruise  to 
the  eastward.  The  shi|)  carried  out  with  her  many  young  gentle- 
men, who  have  since  risen  to  high  rank  and  distinction  in  the  service.* 

*  The  first  lioiilcnnnt  of  tlin  United  Slates  on  tliia  cruise,  was  Mr.  Ross;  Sfeoml  lieu- 
tenaut,  Mr.  MuUony ;  tliird  lieutenant,  Mr.  James  Barron ;  fourth  liuatonant,  Mr.  Charlca 


i 


i:i| 


156 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1798. 


But  the  law  of  the  9th  of  that  month,  occurring  hnmediately  after- 
wards, the  government  altered  its  policy  entirely,  and  determined  to 
send  at  once,  a  strong  force  among  the  West  India  islands,  where  the 
enemy  abounded,  and  where  the  commerce  of  the  country  was  most 
exposed  to  his  depredations.  On  the  11th,  instructions  were  sent  to 
Captain  Barry,  who  now  hoisted  a  broad  pennant,  to  go  ofl"  Cape 
Cod,  with  the  Delaware  20,  Captain  Decatur,  where  he  would  find 
the  Herald  18,  Captain  Sever,  that  officer  preferring  active  service 
in  a  small  vessel,  to  waiting  for  the  frigate  to  which  he  had  been  ap- 
pointed, and  then  to  proceed  directly  to  the  West  Indies,  keeping  to 

windward. 

That  well  known  frigate,  the  Constitution  44,  had  been  launched 
at  Boston,  September  20th,  1797;  and  she  first  got  under  way,  July 
20th  of  this  year,  under  Captain  Samuel  Nicholson,  who,  in  August, 
with  four  revenue  vessels  in  company,  was  directed  to  cruise  on  the 
coast,  to  the  southward  of  Cape  Henry.*  These  revenue  vessels 
were  generally  brigs,  between  one  hundred  and  fifty  and  two  hundred 
tons  measurement,  with  armaments  varying  from  ten  to  fourteen 
guns,  and  crews  of  from  fifty  to  seventy  men.  At  the  close  of  the 
year,  many  of  them  were  taken  into  the  navy,  and  we  find  some  of 
their  officers,  soon  after  the  commencement  of  the  contest,  in  the 
command  of  frigates.  The  celebrated  Preble  is  first  seen  in  actual 
service,  as  the  commander  of  one  of  these  revenue  vessels,  though 
his  rank  was  that  of  lieutenant  commandant,  and  he  had  been  pre- 
viously attached  to  the  Constitution,  as  one  of  her  officers. 

Early  in  August,  the  Constellation  38,  Captain  Truxtun,  and  the 
Baltimore  20,  Captain  Phillips,  went  to  the  Havana,  and  brought 
a  convoy  of  sixty  sail  in  safety  to  the  United  States ;  several  French 
cruisers  then  lying  in  the  port,  ready  to  follow  the  merchantmen, 
but  for  this  force,  the  presence  of  which  prevented  them  from  ap|)ear- 
ing  outside  the  castle.  By  the  close  of  the  yeai  '';e  following  force 
was  at  sea;  most  of  the  vessels  being  either  in  tin'  West  Indies,  or 
employed  in  convoying  between  the  islands  and  the  United  States. 

United  States^  Ships  at  sea,  during  the  year  1798,  viz : 


•United  States 

44, 

Com. 

Barry. 

♦Constitution 

44, 

Capt. 

Nicholson. 

♦Constellation 

38, 

(( 

Truxtun. 

George  Wash- 

ington 

24, 

Fletcher. 

♦Portsmouth 

24, 

M'Niel. 

Merrimack 

24, 

Brown. 

Ganges 

24, 

Tingey. 

Montezuma 

20, 

Murray. 

Baltimore 

20, 

Phillips. 

Stewart.     Amoncr  the  miilihipmon  wore  Doratur,  Somcrs,  Caldwell,  &c.  Jco.    Messrs, 
Jacob  Jones  and  Cnmc,  joined  licr  soon  after. 

*  It  is  8aid  that  the  Constitution  would  have  heeii  tlte  firft  vessel  got  info  the  water 
under  lh<!  new  organisation,  had  she  not  .stuck  in  an  abortive  uttenipt  to  launch  her,  at 
an  earlier  day. 


arm  an 
twelve 
vice,  u 
Bes 
alread 
towns, 
sloops 
of  the 
large 
inlets. 
The 
appeai| 
and,  w 
their  nj 
in  whij 
pursuel 
took  pj 
vana, 
On 
Britislil 
more 
Charh 
and  k| 
habit 
chantiii 
characi 
hard,  i[ 
same  tj 


1798.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


157 


Delaware 

20, 

i( 

Decatur. 

Herald 

18, 

« 

Russcl. 

Richmond 

18, 

(( 

S.  Barron. 

•Norfolk 

18, 

t( 

WiUiams. 

*Pinckney 
Retaliation 
C  *Pickerinff 

18, 
14, 
14, 

"      Hayvvard. 
Lieut.  Com.  Bainbridge. 
Lieut.  Com.  Preble 

♦Eagle 
*Scammel 

14, 
14, 

(( 
(( 

Campbell. 
Adams. 

Revenue 

*Gov.  Jay 

14, 

(( 

Leonard. 

vessels. 

♦Viroinia 

14, 

(( 

Bright. 

♦Diligence 

12, 

t( 

Brown. 

♦South  Carolinal2, 

(( 

Payne. 

♦Gen.  Green 

10, 

t( 

Price. 

r 


irs. 


tcr 
at 


Of  these  vessels,  those  marked  with  an  asterisk,  were  built  ex- 
pressly for  the  public  service,  while  the  remainder,  with  the  exception 
of  the  Retaliation,  captured  from  the  French,  were  purchased.  The 
vessels  rating  20  and  24  guns,  were  old-fashioned  sloops,  with  gun- 
decks,  and  carried,  in  general,  long  nines  and  sixes.  The  smaller 
vessels  wer  ?  dcep-waisted,  like  the  modern  corvette,  and  carried  light 
long  guns.  Even  the  frigates  had,  as  yet,  no  carronades  in  their 
armaments,  their  quarter-deck  and  forecastle  batteries  being  long 
twelves  and  nines.  The  carronade  was  not.introduced  into  the  ser- 
vice, until  near  the  close  of  this  contest. 

Besides  the  vessels  named  in  the  foregoing  list,  many  more  were 
already  laid  down ;  and  so  great  Avas  the  zeal  of  the  commercial 
towns,  in  particular,  that  no  less  than  two  frigates,  and  five  large 
sloops  were  building  by  subscription,  in  the  different  principal  ports 
of  the  country.  In  addition  to  this  force,  must  be  enumerated  eight 
large  galleys,  that  were  kept  on  the  southern  coast,  to  defend  their 
inlets. 

The  -sudden  expedition  of  so  many  cruisers  in  the  West  Indies, 
appears  to  have  surprised  the  British,  as  well  as  the  common  enemy ; 
and,  while  the  men-of-war  of  Great  Britain,  on  the  whole,  treated 
their  new  allies  with  sufficient  cordiality,  instances  were  not  wanting, 
in  which  a  worse  feeling  was  shown,  and  a  very  questionable  policy 
pursued  towards  them.  The  most  flagrant  instance  of  the  sort  that 
took  place,  occurred  in  the  autumn  of  this  year,  off  the  port  of  Ha- 
vana, and  calls  for  a  conspicuous  notice,  in  a  work  of  this  character. 

On  the  morning  of  the  ICtli  November,  1798,  a  squadron  of 
British  ships  was  made  from  the  United  States  sloop  of  war  Balti- 
more 20,  Captain  Phillips,  then  in  charge  of  a  convoy,  bound  frpm 
Charleston  to  the  Havana.  At  the  time,  the  Moro  was  in  sight, 
and  knowing  that  the  English  cruisers  in  those  seas,  were  in  the 
habit  of  pursuing  a  vexatious  course  towards  the  American  mer- 
chantmen. Captain  Phillips,  as  soon  as  he  had  ascertained  the 
characters  of  the  strangers,  made  a  signal  to  his  convoy  to  carry  sail 
hard,  in  order  to  gain  their  port,  bearing  up  in  the  Baltimore,  at  the 
same  lime,  to  speak  the  English  commodore.     The  latter  was  in  the 


158 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1798. 


I 

5^ 


Carnatick  74,  with  the  Queen  98,  Thunderer  74,  Maidstone  32,  and 
Greyhound  32,  in  company.  The  Enghsh  ships  cut  off  three  of  the 
convoy,  and  captured  them,  probably  under  the  plea  of  a  blockade, 
or,  some  of  their  own  constructions  of  the  rights  of  colonial  trade. 
When  the  Baltimore  joined  the  Carnatick,  Captain  Loring,  the  com- 
mander of  the  latter  ship,  and  the  senior  ofticer  of  the  squadron,  in- 
vited Captain  Phillips  to  repair  on  board  his  vessel.  On  comjjlying 
with  this  invitation,  a  conversation  ensued  between  the  two  officers, 
in  which  Captain  Lorin^  informed  his  guest  that  he  intended  to  take 
all  the  men  out  of  the  Baltimore,  that  had  not  regular  American 
protections.  Captain  Phillips  protested  against  such  a  violation  of 
his  fla"-,  as  an  (uitrage  on  the  dignity  of  the  nation  to  which  he  be- 
lon<>-ed,  and  announced  his  determination  to  surrender  his  ship, 
should  any  such  proceedings  be  insisted  on. 

Captain  Phillips  now  returned  on  board  the  Baltimore,  where  he 
found  a  British  lieutenant  in  the  act  of  mustering  the  crew.  Taking 
the  muster-roll  from'  his  hand.  Captain  Phillips  ordered  tlie  Car- 
natick's  officer  to  walk  to  leeward,  and  sent  his  people  to  theii 
quarters.  The  American  commander  now  found  himself  in  great 
doubt,  as  to  the  propriety  of  the  course  he  ought  to  pursue.  Having 
a  legal  gentleman  of  some  reputation  onboard,  he  determined,  how- 
ever, to  consult  him,  and  to  be  influenced  by  his  advice.  The 
following  facts  appear  to  have  been  submitted  to  the  consideration 
of  this  geiitleman.  The  Baltimore  had  sailed  without  a  commission 
on  board  bcr,  or  any  paper  whatever,  signed  by  the  President  of  the 
United  States,  and  under  instructions  that  "  the  vessels  of  every 
other  nation  (France  excepted,)  are  on  no  account  to  be  molested ; 
and  I  wish  particularly  to  impress  on  your  mind,  that  should  you 
ever  see  an  American  vessel  captured  by  the  armed  ship  of  any 
nation  at  war,  with  whom  we  are  at  peace,  you  cannot  lawfully 
interfere  to  prevent  the  capture,  for  it  is  to  be  taken  for  grai«ted,  that 
such  nation  will  compensate  for  such  capture,  if  it  should  prove  to 
have  been  illegally  made."  We  have  quoted  the  whole  of  this  clause, 
that  part  which  is  not,  as  well  as  that  which  is,  pertinent  to  the  point 
that  influenced  Captain  Phillips,  in  older  that  the  reader  may  un- 
derstand the  spirit  that  prevailed  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  at  that 
time.  There  may  be  some  question  how  far  a  belligerent  can,  with 
propriety,  have  any  authority  over  a  vessel  that  has  been  regularly 
admitted  into  the  convoy  of  a  national  cruiser,  for  it  is  just  as  rea- 
sonable to  suppose  that  a  public  ship  of  one  nation  woidd  not  protect 
an  illegality  by  countenancing  such  a  fraud,  as  to  suppose  that  a 
public  ship  of  another  would  not  do  violence  to  right  in  her  seizures; 
and  an  appeal  to  the  justice  of  America  to  deliver  up  unoffending 
ship  might  be  made  quite  as  plausibly,  as  an  appeal  to  the  justice  of 
England  to  restore  an  innocent  ship.  The  papers  of  a  vessel  under 
convoy,  at  all  events,  can  properly  be  examined  nowhere  hut  under 
the  eyes  of  the  connnaiider  of  the  convoy,  or  of  his  agent,  in  order 
that  the  ship  examined  may  have  the  benefit  of  his  protecting  care, 
should  the  belligerent  feel  disposed  to  abuse  his  authority.  It  will 
be  observed,  however,  that  Captain  Phillips  had  trusted  more  to  the 


1.1 


1798.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


159 


sailing  of  his  convoy,  than  to  any  principles  of  international  law  ;  and 
when  we  inquire  further  into  the  proceedings  of  the  British  com- 
mander, it  will  be  seen  that  this  decision,  while  it  may  not  have  been 
as  dignified  and  firm  as  comported  with  his  official  station  was 
probably  as  much  for  the  benefit  of  the  interests  he  was  deputed  to 
protect,  as  any  other  course  might  have  been. 

Whatever  may  bethought  of  the  rights  of  belligerents  in  regard  to 
ships,  there  can  be  no  question  that  the  conduct  of  the  British  officer, 
in  insisting,  under  the  circumstances,  on  taking  any  of  the  Balti- 
more's men,  was  totally  unjustifiable.     The  right  of  impressment  is 
a  national,  and  not  an  international  right,  depending  solely  on  mu- 
nicipal regulations,  and  in  no  manner  on  public  law;  since  the  latter 
can  confer  no  privileges,  that,  in  their  nature,  are  not  reciprocal. 
International  law  is  founded  on  those  principles  of  public  good  which 
rire  common  to  all  forms  of  government,  and  it  is  not  to  be  tolerated 
that  one  particular  community  should  set  up  usages,  arising  out  of 
its  peculiar  situation,  with  an  attempt  to  exercise  them  at  the  ex- 
pense of  those  general  rules  which  the  civilised  world  has  recogjiised 
as  necessary,  paramount,   and  just.     No  principle  is  better  settled 
than  the  one  which  declares  that  a  vessel  on  the  high  seas,  for  all  the 
purposes  of  personal  rights,  is  within  the  protection  of  the  laws  of 
the  country  to  which  she  belongs;  and  England  has  no  more  au- 
thority to  send  an  agent  on  board  an  American  vessel,  so  situated,  to 
claim  a  deserter,  or  a  subject,  than  she  can  have  a  right  to  send  a 
sheriff's  officer  to  arrest  a  thief.     If  her  institutions  allow  her  to  insist 
on  the  services  of  a  particular  and  limited  class  of  her  own  subjects, 
contrhry  to  their  wishes,  it  is  no  affair  of  other  nations,  so  long  as  the 
exercise  of  this  extraordinary  regulation  is  confined  to  her  own  juris- 
diction ;  but  when  she  attempts  to  extend  it  into  the  legal  jurisdictions 
of  other  communities,  she  not  only  invades  their  privileges  by  vio- 
lating a  conventional  right  but  she  offends  their  sense  of  justice  by 
making  them  parties  to  the  commission  of  an  act  that  is  in  open 
opr,osition  to  natural  equity.     In  the  case  before  us,  the  British 
commander,  however,  did  still  more,  for  he  reversed  all  the  knov/n 
and  safe  principles  of  evidence,  by  declaring  that  he  should  put  the 
accused  to  the  proofs  of  their  innocence,  and,  at  once,  assume  that 
every  man  in  the  Baltimore  was  an  Englishman,  who  should  fail  to 
establish  the  fact  that  he  was  an  American. 

Captain  Phillips,  after  taking  time  to  deliberaii  ,  determined  to 
submit  tc  -uperior  force,  surrender  his  ship,  and  to  refer  the  matter 
to  his  own  government.  The  colours  of  the  Baltimore  were  accor- 
dingly lowered ;  Captain  lioring  was  informed  that  the  ship  was  at 
his  disposal,  and  fifty-five  of  the  crew  were  immediately  transferred 
to  the  Carnatick.  After  a  siiort  delay,  howr-ver,  fifty  of  these  men 
were  sent  back,  and  only  five  were  retained. 

Captain  Ijoring  now  made  a  proposition  to  Captain  Phillips,  ti:"i, 
\^o.s  as  extraordinary  as  any  part  of  his  previous  conduct,  by  stating 
that  he  had  a  number  of  Americans  in  his  squadron,  whom  he  would 
deliver  up  to  the  flag  of  their  country,  man  for  man,  in  exchange  for 


'       ir 


f 


i. 


as  many  Englishmen. 


These  Americans,  it  is  fair  to  presume,  had 


160 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1798. 


Ill 
ill 


been  impressed,  and  the  nvliole  of  these  violent  outrages  on  neutral 
ri<;lits,  were  ch)fced  by  a  proposal  to  surrender  a  certain  number  of 
American  citizens,  who  weif  detained  ajruinst  their  will,  and  in  the 
face  of  all  law,  to  fight  battl<-s  in  which  they  had  no  interest,  if  Cap- 
tain Phillips  would  weaken  his  crewby  yielding  an  equal  number 
of  Englishmen,  who  had  taken  voluntary  service  under  the  American 
flag,  for  the  consideration  of  a  li!ieral  bounty  and  ample  pay. 

it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  this  i)roposition  wus  rejcctvd; 
the  American  connnander  ;)ossessing  no  more  author!' r  to  {rive  u]> 
any  ])()rii()n  of  his  legal  crew,  in  this  manner,  than  he  liud  ni  insist 
on  the  services  of  the  Americans  whom  he  might  receive  in  exchange. 
The  British  squadron  now  made  sail,  carrying;  with  llieM  tlf  iiv;; 
men  and  the  thn^e  ships.  Nothing  icnt'iined  ior  Captain  I'hiilips 
but  to  hoist  his  colours  again>  and  to  j.'rocoed  on  'ms  crui.^D,  On  his 
return  to  America,  this  officer  ha^^tened  fo  !*liiladtl|)lua,  and  laid  the 
wliole  transnction  before  the  government,  and  on  the  10th  (jfJanuary, 
170f),  lie  was  dismissed  from  the  navy  without  fr!al. 

We  looJv  hack  on  tliis  whole  rriuisaction  %vith  mortification,  regret 
and  surpri.-t.  Wo  feet  deep  mortification  that,  after  the  experi<  •  e 
oftlx-  cout'S  t  of  tile  Revolution,  the  American  cliuracter  sli<>"ld  ha.e 
fallen  so  lo\  ,  (.'kiI,  <n  officer  t»f  any  nation  might  dare  to  commit  an 
outrage,  a?'  vio)<M.ir  as  that  pe»"petrated  by  tlie  commander  of  the 
Carnaiick,  for  ir  ' ;  fair  to  presume  that  no  man  would  incur  its  re- 
sponsibiijty  witli  h\'-  own  jrovernment,  who  did  not  leel  well  assured 
that  iii.'i.  ;u|icriors  woukl  think  the  risk  of  a  conflict  with  America, 
more  than  conipcnsatod  by  the  advantages  that  would  be  thus  ob- 
tained in  manning  the  English  fleets;  eflectually  jirovingthat  it  must 
have  iH'en  the  prevalent  opinion  of  the  day,  America  was  so  little 
disposed  to  insist  on  her  rights,  that  in  preference  to  putting  her 
commerce  in  jeopardy,  she  would  not  only  yield  her  claim  to  protect 
seamen  under  her  flag  generally,  but  under  that  pennant  which  is 
supposed  more  especially  lo  represent  national  dignity  and  national 
honour.  This  o})iiiion  was  undeniably  unfounded,  as  regards  the 
great  majority  of  the  American  people,  but  it  was  only  too  true,  in 
respect  to  a  portion  of  them,  who  collected  iii  towns,  and  sustained 
by  the  power  of  active  wealth,  liave,  in  nil  ages  and  in  all  countries, 
been  enabled  to  make  their  particular  ])assiiig  interests  temporarily 
superior  to  thosic  eternal  principles  on  which  nations  or  individuals 
can  alone,  wiih  any  due  reliance,  trust  for  character  and  security. 
In  1798,  the  contest  with  France  was  so  much  the  more  popular  with 
the  mercantile  part  of  the  community,  because  it  favoured  trade  with 
England ;  and  some  now  living  may  be  surprised  to  learn,  that  a 
numerous  and  powerful  class  in  the  country,  were  so  blinded  by  their 
interests,  and  perhaps  misled  by  ))rejudices  of  a  colonial  origin,  as 
actually  to  contend  that  Great  Bi  itaiii  had  a  perfect ;  "ght  to  seize  Iter 
seamen  wherever  she  could  fiiul  them;  a  privile<>'  '"'><  could  be  no 
more  urired  with  reason,  than  to  insist  tliat  Grr  -  <-itain  had  an 
equal  right  to  c  "-cise  any  other  municij).')'  pt  ,  tJuit  conflicted 
with  general  pr-  les, on  the  plea  of  privat  .  sity.  An  act  of 
spirited  resistance  at  that  moment  migjit  hir  v  pc   .i  stop  to  the  long 


Capt 


oflic 
govei 
oflUcc 
mere 
the  1 
on ;  • 

=    :, 

-'lor  c 
answ 

Di 
cours 

vo 


1799.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


161 


train  of  similar  aggressions  timt  followed,  and  which,  after  an  age 
of  forbearance,  finally  produced  all  the  evils  of  the  very  warfare  that 
seem  to  have  hcen  so  much  apprehended. 

On  this  l)ranch  of  the  subject,  no  more  need  be  said  at  present, 
than  to  add  that  while  the  British  government  did  not  appear  dis- 
posed to  defend  the  principle  involved  in  the  act  of  its  officer,  the 
American  so  far  forgot  what  was  done  to  its  real  interests,  as  not  to 
insist  on  an  o])en  and  signal  reparation  of  the  wrong. 

The  conduct  of  the  commander  of  the  Baltimore  ought,  in  a 
measure,  to  l)e  judged  by  the  spirit  of  the  day  in  which  the  event  oc- 
curred, and  not  by  the  better  feelings  and  sounder  notions  that  now 
prevail  on  the  same  subject.  Still,  he  appears  to  have  fallen  into  one 
or  two  material  errors.  The  inference  put  on  the  words  "  no  ac- 
count" in  his  instructions,  was  palpably  exaggerated  and  feeble; 
since  it  would  equally  have  led  him  to  yield  his  ship  itself,  to  an  at- 
tack from  an  inferior  force,  should  it  have  suited  the  views  ofthe 
commander  of  any  vessel  but  a  Frenchman  to  make  one  ;  and  the 
case  goes  to  show  the  great  importance  of  possessing  a  corps  of 
trained  and  instructed  officers  to  command  vessels  of  war,  it  being  as 
much  a  regular  qualification  in  the  accomplished  naval  captain,  to  be 
able  to  make  distinctions  that  shall  render  him  superior  to  sophisms 
of  this  nature,  ns  to  work  his  ship. 

The  circumstance  that  there  was  no  commission,  or  any  paper 
signed  by  the  President  ofthe  United  States,  in  the  Baltimore,  though 
certainly  very  extraordinary,  and  going  to  prove  the  haste  with  which 
the  armaments  of  1798  were  made,  ought  to  have  had  no  influence 
on  the  decision  of  Captain  Phillips,  in  the  presence  of  a  foreign  ship. 
This  officer  would  not  have  hesitated  about  defending  his  convoy, 
under  his  instructions  alone,  against  a  Frenchman ;  and  by  a  similar 
rule,  he  ought  not  to  have  hesitated  about  defending  his  people 
against  an  Englishman,  on  the  same  authority.  Any  defect  in  form, 
connected  with  !iis  papers,  was  a  question  purely  national,  no  foreign 
officer  having  aright  to  enter  into  the  examination  of  the  matter  at 
all,  so  long  as  there  was  sufficient  evidence  to  establish  the  national 
character  ofthe  Baltimore,  which,  in  extremity,  might  have  been 
done  by  the  instructions  themselves;  and  we  see  in  the  doubts  of 
Captain  Phillips  on  this  head,  the  deficiencies  of  a  man  educated  in  a 
merchantman,  or  a  service  in  which  clearances  and  registers  are  in- 
dispensable to  legality,  instead  ofthe  decision  and  promptitude  of  an 
officer  taught  from  youth  to  rely  on  the  dignity  and  power  of  his 
government,  and  the  sanctity  of  his  flag.  The  commissions  of  her 
officers  do  not  give  to  a  ship  of  war  her  national  character,  but  they 
merely  empower  those  who  hold  them  to  act  in  their  several  stations; 
the  natio'iality  oi  the  vessel  depending  on  the  simple  facts  ofthe 
ox*^;- jrsliip  -^.d  thy  duty  on  which  she  is  employed.  Nations  create 
^' .  Ii  evidence  of  this  interest  in  their  vessels  as  may  suit  themselves, 
nor  can  foreigners  call  these  prcisions  in  question,  so  long  as  they 
answer  the  great  ends  for  whi;  ■!  they  were  intended. 

Diflerent  opinions  have  been  entertained  of  the  propriety  of  the 
course  taken  by  Captain  Phillips  withoat  reference  to  the  grounds 

vo: ,  I.  W 


162 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1798. 


of  his  submission.  By  one  set  of  logicians  he  is  justified  in  yielding 
without  resistance,  on  account  of  theovenvhehningforce  ofthe  Eng- 
lish ;  and  by  another  condemned  on  the  plea  that  a  vessel  of  war 
should  never  strike  her  colours  with  her  guns  loaded.  We  think 
both  of  these  distinctions  false,  as  api)Iied  to  this  particular  case  ;  and 
the  latter,  as  applied  to  most  others.  When  the  commander  of  a 
vessel  of  war  sees  no  means  to  escape  from  capture,  nothing  is  gained, 
either  to  his  nation  or  himself,  by  merely  firing  a  broadside  and  hanl- 
in<»-  down  his  colours.  So  fur  from  being  an  act  of  spirit,  it  is  the 
reverse,  unless  we  concede  something  to  the  force  of  prejudice,  since 
it  is  ha/ardingthe  lives  of  others,  without  risking  his  own,  or  those 
of  his  crew ;  for,  to  pretend  that  Ca|)tain  Phillips  should  not  only 
have  discharged  his  guns,  but  have  stood  the  fire  of  Carnatick,  is  to 
affirm  that  an  officer  ought  to  consummate  an  act  of  injustice  in 
others,  by  an  act  of  extreme  folly  of  his  own.  We  think,  however, 
that  Captain  Phillips  erred  in  not  resisting  in  a  manner  that  was  com- 
pletely within  his  jmwer.  When  he  took  the  muster-roll  from  the 
hands  of  the  English  lieutenant,  and  culled  his  people  to  quarters, 
he  became  master  of  his  own  ship,  and  might  have  ordered  the  Car- 
natick'sboat  to  leave  it,  with  a  message  to  Captain  Loring,  expressive 
of  his  determination  to  defend  himself  The  case  was  not  one  of 
war,  in  which  there  was  a  certainty  t.ha*,  r<!sisting,  he  would  be  as- 
sailed, but  an  effi)rt  on  the  part  ofthe  commander  of  a  ship  belonging 
to  a  friendly  power,  to  push  aggression  to  a  jmint  that  no  one  but 
himself  could  know.  An  attempt  to  board  the  Baltimore  in  boats 
might  have  been  resisted,  and  successfully  even,  when  credit  instead 
of  discredit  would  have  been  reflected  on  th«  service ;  and  did  the 
Carnatick  open  her  fire,  all  question  of  blame,  as  respects  Captain 
Phillips,  would  have  been  immediately  settled.  It  may  be  much 
doubted  if  the  British  officer  would  have  had  recourse  to  so  extreme 
a  measure,  under  such  circumstances  ;  and  if  he  had,  something 
would  have  been  gained,  by  at  once  placing  the  open  hostility  of  a 
vastly  superior  force,  between  submission  and  disgrace. 

Neither  was  the  course  pursued  by  the  government  fref  from  cen- 
sure. It  is  at  all  times  a  dangeroiis,  and  in  scarcely  no  instance  a 
necessary,  practice,  to  cashier  an  officer  without  trial.  Cases  of  mis- 
conduct so  flagrant,  may  certainly  occur,  as  to  justify  the  executive 
in  resorting  to  the  prompt  use  of  the  removing  power ;  as  for  cow- 
ardice in  the  open  field,  in  presence  ofthe  comuKinder-in-chief,  when 
disgrace  in  face  of  the  army  or  fleet,  might  seem  as  appropriate  as 
promotion  for  conduct  ofthe  opposite  kind  ;  but,  as  a  rule,  no  mili- 
tary man  should  suffi'r  this  heavy  penalty  without  having  the  benefit 
of  a  deliberate  and  solemn  investigation,  and  the  judgment  of  those 
who,  by  their  experience,  may  be  suj)posed  lo  be  the  most  competent 
to  decide  on  his  conduct.  The  profession  of  an  officer  is  the  busi- 
ness of  a  life,  and  the  utmost  care  of  his  interests  aiul  character,  is 
the  especial  duty  of  those  who  are  called  to  preside  ovr  his  destinies, 
in  a  civil  capacity.  In  the  case  before  us,  we  learn  the  'danger  of 
precipitatioi»  and  m.aconception  in  such  matters,  the  r-  ;.  o  given 
by  the  secretary  for  the  dismissal  of  Captain  Phillips  bei!'„''  cjntra- 


to  o 
whe 
this 
this 

P'ki 

carr 


((  { 


1798.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


163 


dieted  by  the  faets,  as  they  are  now  understood.  In  the  communica- 
tion of  that  functionary  to  the  degroded  officer,  the  Intter  was  charged 
wit\\  "  tame  submission  to  the  orders  of  the  British  lieutenant,  on 
board  your  own  ship  ;"  whereas,  it  is  alledged  on  the  part  of  Captain 
PhilUps,  that  he  did  not  permit  the  Enghsh  officer  to  muster  his 
crew,  but  thot  tlie  act  was  performed  while  he  himself  was  on  board 
the  Carnatick. 

As  recently  as  the  year  1820,  an  attempt  was  mode  to  revive  an 
investigation  of  this  subject,  and  to  restore  Captain  PhilHps  to  his 
rank.  It  is  due  to  that  officer  to  say,  many  of  the  facts  were  found 
to  be  much  more  in  his  favour  than  had  been  generally  believed,  and 
tluit  the  investigation,  while  it  failed  in  its  principal  object,  tended 
materially  to  relieve  his  name  from  the  opprobrium  under  which  it 
had  pr«'viously  rested.  Altliough  many  still  think  he  erred  in  judg- 
ment, it  is  now  the  general  impression  that  )iis  mistakes  were  the 
results  of  a  want  of  experience,  and  perhaps  of  the  opinions  of  the 
doy,  rather  than  of  any  want  of  a  suitable  disposition  to  defend  the 
honour  of  the  flag.  The  punishment  inflicted  on  him,  appears  to 
have  been  ns  unnecessarily  severe,  as  it  was  indiscreet  in  its  manner ; 
and  if  we  may  set  down  the  outrage  as  a  fault  of  the  times,  we  may 
also  add  to  the  same  catalogue  of  errors,  most  of  the  other  distinctive 
features  of  the  entire  proceedings. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  privateer  Le  Croyable  14,  captured  by 
the  Delaware  20,  had  been  taken  into  the  service,  under  the  name  of 
the  Retaliation.     In  November,  1798,  or  about  the  tima  that  the 
Carnatick  impressed  the  men  of  the  Baltimore,  the  Montezuma  20, 
Captain  Murray,  Norfolk  18,  Captain  WilHams,  and  the  Retaliation 
12,  Lieutenant  Bain  bridge,  were  cruising  in  companyoiTGiadaloupe, 
when  three  sails  were  made  to  the  .astward,  and  soon  after  t\'o  r'  \^ye 
to  the  westward.     Captain  Murray,  who  was  the  senior  officer,  v  i.s 
led  to  suppose,  from  circumstances,  that  the  vessels  in  the  eastern 
board  were  British,  and  speaking  the  Retaliation,  he  ordered  Lieu- 
tenant Bainbridge  to  reconnoitre  them,  while,  with  the  Norfolk  in 
company,  he  gave  chase,  himself,  in  the  Montezuma,  to  the  two  ves- 
sels to  the  westward.     The  Retaliation,  ir  obedience  to  these  orders, 
immediately  hauled  up  towards  the  three  strangers,  and  gettii.^near 
enough  for  signals,  she  made  her  own  number,  with  a  view  to  ascer- 
tain if  they  were  Americans.     Findiiig  that  he  was  not  understood, 
Lieutenant  Bainbridge  mistook  the  strangers  for  English  cruisers, 
knowing  that  several  were  on  the  station,  and  unluckily   ,;  mji^ted 
them  to  approach  so  near,  that  when  their  real  charucteis  were  as- 
certained, it  was  too  late  to  escape.     The  leading  ship,  a  French 
frigate,  was  an  uncommonly  fast  sailer,  and  she  was  soon  near  enough 
to  open  her  fire.    It  was  not  long  before  another  frigate  came  up, 
when  the  Retaliation  was  compelled  to  lower  her  flag.     Thus  did 
this  unlucky  vessel  become  the  first  cruiser  taken  by  both  parties,  in 
this   ..    '".     The  frigates  by  which  the  RetaHation  was  captured, 
proved  to  be  the  Volont  'ire  36,   and  the  Insurgente  32,  the  former 
carr,  Ing  4 !,  and  the  latter  40  guns.     Mr.  Bainbridge  was  put  on 
board  the  Volontairc^  while  llie  Insurgoute,   perceiving  that  tho 


: 


[   i 


f^^^^rf 


164 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1798. 


r 


schooner  was  safe,  continued  to  carry  sail  in  chase  of  the  Montezuma 
and  Norfolk.  As  soon  aa  a  prize  crew  could  be  thrown  into  the  Ile- 
talitttion,  the  Volontaire  crowded  sail  after  her  consort.  The  -haso 
now  became  exceedingly  interesting,  the  two  American  vessels  being 
fully  aware,  by  the  capture  of  the  schooner,  that  they  had  to  deal 
with  an  enemy.  The  Insurgente  was  one  of  the  fastest  ships  iti  the 
world,  and  her  commander  an  officer  of  great  skill  and  resolution. 
The  two  American  vc,«sel-  weio  small  for  their  rates,  and,  indeed, 
were  overrated,  the  .'*l<>frc  ui'.  i  being  a  little  ship  of  only  317  tons, 
and  the  Norfolk  n  I"  i-^  of  '^OD.  The.r  armaments  were  merely  nines 
and  sixes ;  shot  that  would  be  scarcely  regarded  in  a  conflict  with 
frigates.  The  ollicers  of  the  Volontaire  collected  on  the  forecastle  of 
their  shij)  to  witness  the  chase,  and  the  Insurgente  being,  by  this  time, 
a  loin^way  ahead.  Captain  St.  Laurent,  the  commander  of  the  Vol- 
ontaire, osked  Mr.  Bainbridge,  who  vi-  riding  near  him,  what 
might  be  the  force  of  the  two  American  vessels.  vVith  great  pres- 
ence of  mind,  Mr.  Bainbridge  answered  without  hesitation,  that  the 
ship  riTietl  28  twelves,  and  the  brig  20  nines.  As  this  account  quite 
doubled  ihe  force  of  the  Americans,  Captain  St.  Laurent,  who  was 
senior  futile  commander  of  the  Insurgente,  immediately  threw  out  a 
sigiial  to  the  latter  to  relinquish  the  chase.  This  was  an  unmilitary 
order,  even  admitting  tlie  fact  to  have  been  as  stated,  for  the  Insur- 
gente would  have  been  fully  able  to  employ  two  such  vessels  until 
the  Volontaire  could  come  up ;  but  the  recent  successes  of  the  Eng- 
lish had  rend,  red  the  French  cruisers  wary,  and  the  Americans  and 
English,  as  seamen,  were  probably  identiHcd  in  the  minds  of  the 
enemy.  The  signal  caused  as  much  surprise  to  Captain  Murray,  in 
the  Montezuma,  as  to  Captain  Barreault,  of  the  Insurgente,  ."-ir  the 
latter,  an  excellent  and  spirited  officer,  had  got  so  near  his  chases  as 
to  have  made  out  their  force,  and  to  feel  certain  of  capturing  both. 
The  signal  was  obeyed,  however,  and  the  Montezuma  and  Norfolk 
escape*!. 

When  the  two  French  vessels  rejoined  each  other,  Captain  Bar- 
reault naturally  expressed  Ms  surprise  at  having  been  recalled  under 
such  circumstances.  An  explanation  followed  when  the  nise  that  had 
been  practised  hy  Mr.  B;\inbridge  was  discovered.  It  is  to  the 
credit  of  the  French  officers,  that,  wiiile  they  were  much  vexed  at  the 
results  of  this  artifice,  they  never  visited  the  offender  with  their  dis- 
pleasure. 

It  is  one  of  the  curious  incidents  of  this  singular  contest,  that  a 
proposition  was  made  to  Mr.  Bainbridge,  by  the  Governor  of  Guad- 
aloupe,  into  which  place  the  two  French  frigates  went  with  their 
prize,  to  restore  the  Retaliation,  a  vessel  captured  from  the  French 
themselves,  and  to  liberate  her  c  »v,  provided  he  would  stipulate  that 
the  island  should  remain  neu.-  ..  durii  <^the  present  state  of  things. 
This  proposition  Mr.  Bainbri(l;;e  had  no  authority  to  accept,  and  the 
termination  of  a  long  and  prevaricating  negotiation  on  the  part  of 
the  governor,  whose  object  was  probably  to  enrich  his  particular  com- 
mand, or  himself,  by  possessing  for  a  time,  a  monopoly  of  the  Amer- 
ican trade,  was  to  send  the  Retaliation  back  to  America  as  a  cartel ; 


Cm 

};• 

tril 

Kri 
Fir 


'I] 

by  t 

shij>i 


?799.] 


NAVAL  HIHTORY. 


165 


^ 
P 


fur,  now  that  llm  United  States  lind  tnkvn  ho  bold  n  atund,  the  Friiuch 
gov(Tnnu!nt  ap|H>iiri>d  even  \v»h  unxions  than  our  own,  to  hreuk  out 
into  o|K>n  war.  On  the  m  \\  of  Mr.  Bainbridgu  in  this  conntry, 
his  conduct  received  the  ai'prohution  of  tlie  adniiniHtration,  and  ho 
was  immediately  pronutted  to  tlii>  rank  of  nmnter  commandant,  and 
appointetl  to  the  Norfolk  |H,  one  of  the  vessels  he  had  saved  from 
the  enemy  hy  hi^  presence  of  mind. 

Theert'orts  of  the  Governor  of  (luadalonpe  to  obtain  a  neutrality 
for  his  own  island,  had  been  accompanied  by  some  acts  of  Hcverity 
towards  his  prisoners,  into  which  he  bad  MiUVred  himself  to  be  led, 
apparently  with  the  hope  that  it  nii<<;lit  induce  Mr.  Bainbridgc  to  ac- 
cept his  propositions  ;  and  that  oHker  nf>w  reported  the  whole  of  the 
proceedini»s  to  liis  own  gi)vernnu>nt.  The  result  was  an  act  autbor- 
isinjr  retaliation  on  the  persons  of  Frenchmen,  should  there  be  any 
recurrence  of  similar  wronos.  This  law  jjjave  rise  to  some  of  the 
earliest  of  those  dis'^ruceful  party  dissensions  which,  in  the  end, 
reduced  the  population  of  the  whole  country,  with  very  few  excep- 
tions, to  be  little  more  than  |)artisans  of  either  French  or  Enj^lish 
ajrirressions. 

The  United  States  44,  and  Delaw  are  20,  captured  the  privateers 
Sans  Pareil  10,  and  Jaloux  14,  in  the  course  of  the  autumn,  and  sent 
them  in. 

Thus  terminated  the  year  1798,  thouj;!)  the  return  of  the  Retali- 
ation did  not  occur  until  the  commencement  of  1799,  leavinjr  the 
United  States  with  a  hastily  collected,  an  imperfectly  organised,  and 
unequally  disciplined  sipnulron  oi' ships,  it  is  true  ;  but  a  service  that 
contained  the  jjerm  of  all  that  is  recpiisitc  to  make  an  active,  an  effi- 
cient, and  u  glorious  marine. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Navnl  foi-cH' — riinraitor«rtlH>  (liirt>n>nt  vtssols — thrSr  rtistnlmtion  in  tbo  servico — Cap- 
tnM>s  made  l)y  tlio  n'S|u>otivo  siiundroiis — Tlio  Coiistitiition,  Cum.  Trnxtnn,  caittiirea 
rinwirirciilo— Crilicnl  pimntinn  of  llu>  ]>rizf  cn^w — Action  of  tlio  Constitution  with 
La  Vcnjioaiicv — L(>«sof  niidsliipinan  Jarvis — Com.  Truxtup  reci'ives  a  gold  medal — 
Exi)liiit  of  Li(>«f.  Hull— Loxsdf  riiipnrmMito  and  thi>  PicUiMi;.;^  wii')  all  tlioir  crews — 
Ca|>tun>»  hv  llu»  Enlcr)iriso,  I.icut.  Comdt.  J^liaw — by  the  R(i'<lo)!,  Cipt.  Little — Brief 
cntaltii.Mu>  of  \mr.c«  taU»Mi  on  the  W  est  India  station — Spirited  riigatjement  of  tlic  Ex- 

Iicriment,  Liout.  Connit.  Malev.  witli  the  plcaixions — Lieiit.ttiii  dr  Htewart  captures  the 
)t«x  Amir*  ami  la  Diano— ^\iH  »nifortrnate  mim^cnioTit  with  tiio  (Britisli  privateer) 
Louisa  Hriduror— Cnpt.  Hainhridire,  in  the  Ocorijo  Wasliinetnn.  uocsto  Alijior.s  with 
triliuit — TluMloman<ls  of  tlH>  Dev— Cupl.  B.'sdi'cisioi>— ho  foiTes  through  ilie  Daida- 
nelios— his  nvoption  at  roustantuioplt* — »-»tuni  lo  Algiers — handsome  conduct  to  the 
Frendi — he  nnania  homo  and  is  ti-ansferred  to  the  Ehbcx— Peace  concluded  with 
Fnuico. 

TuR  year  1799  opened  with  no  depnrttire  from  the  policy  laid  down 
by  the  government,  and  the  building  and  equipping  of  the  different 
ships  in  various  parts  of  the  country,  were  pressed  with  as  muchdili- 


166 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1799. 


44, 

Drliiwuro 

20, 

44. 

Hnlfiinoro 

20, 

3H, 

PatnpHLO 

20, 

38, 

Maryland 

20. 

32, 

llrrald 

18. 

28, 

Norfolk 

18. 

28, 

Uicliiiiond 

18. 

28, 

Piiiekiuy 

18, 

28, 

Warren 

18. 

24, 

V.ix»\v 

18, 

24, 

Picki'ring 

14. 

24, 

Aujfusta 

14. 

24, 

Scarninol 

14, 

24, 

Entt-rprise 

12. 

Senco  n»  tho  public  n-Hourct-H  w«»uld  tlu'u  alloir.  In  ihi;  our  o  of 
UH  8«!aHon,  many  vchhoIh  wt-rc  launrlu'd,  and  most  of  tin  in  uoi  to 
sen  within  the  year.  Including  nil, those  that  were  employed  ii  '  .Mi-, 
those  tiiat  were  put  in  comniiH«ion  early  in  the  ensuinj?  yeai,  and 
thone  that  were  enabled  to  qnit  port  nearer  to  its  clone,  the  entire 
active  naval  force  of  the  United  States,  in  1799,  would  seem  to  have 
been  composi'd  of  the  followin^jvenselH,  yi/  ; 

United  States 

Constitution 

Congn'ss 

Constellation 

Essex 

(leneral  Greene 

Doston 

Adams 

John  Adams 

Portsmouth 

Connecticut 

Ganjres 

Geo.  Washington 

Merrimack 
To  these  must  be  added  a  few  revenue  vessels,  thoui^Ii  most  of  this 
description  of  cruisers  appear  to  have  been  kept  on  the  coast  through- 
out this  year.  As  yet,  the  greatest  confusion  and  irregularity  pre- 
vailed in  the  rating,  no  uniform  system  appearing  to  have  been 
adopted.  The  vessels  built  by  the  diflTerent  cities,  and  presented  to 
the  public,  in  particular.  Mere  rated  too  high,  from  a  natural  desire  to 
make  the  oftering  as  respectable  as  possible  ;  and  it  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  thought  expedient,  on  the  part  of  the  government,  |)re- 
matnrely  to  correct  the  mistakes.  But  the  department  itself  was 
probably  too  little  instructed  to  detect  the  discrepancies,  and  some 
of  them  continued  to  exist  as  long  as  the  ships  themselves.  It  may 
help  the  reader  in  appreciating  the  characters  of  the  dift'erent  vessels, 
if  we  explain  some  of  these  irregularities,  as  a  specimen  of  the  whole. 
The  IJnited  States  and  Constitution,  as  has  been  elsewhere  said, 
were  large  ships,  with  batteries  of  30  tw<'nty-four-pounders  on  their 
gun-decks,  and  were  aj)propriately  rated  as  forty-fours.  The  Con- 
gress and  Constellation  were  such  ships  as  the  English  were  then  in 
the  practice  of  rating  as  thirty-eights,  being  eighteen-pounder  frigates, 
of  the  largest  size.  The  Essex  was  the  only  ship  in  the  navy  that 
was  properly  rated  as  a  thirty-two,  having  a  main-deck  battery  of  26 
twelves,  thoujjh  she  was  a  large  vessel  of  her  class.  The  John 
Adams,  General  Greene,  Adams,  and  Boston,  were  such  ships  as 
the  British  had  been  r.ccustomed  to  rate  as  twenty-eights,  and  the 
two  Iatterweresme.il  ships  of  this  denomination.  The  (Jeorge  Wash- 
ington, though  fhc  appears  as  only  a  twenty-four,  while  the  Boston 
figured  as  a  thirty-two,  was,  as  near  as  can  now  be  ascertained  by 
the  officially  'cported  tonnage,  more  than  a  fourth  larg(>r  than  the 
latter  ship.  Indeed,  it  may  be  questioned  if  the  Boston  ought  ta 
hjiv"  been  rated  higher  than  a  twenty-four,  the  Connecticut  which 


1799.] 


NAVAL  IllSTOKY. 


1G7 


Mcrriiiuick 

INn'tstnoiith 

Heriilcl 

FicUrring 

Eiijjlo 

Scammel 

DirnTRiicc 


wns  iliUH  cliiHHed,  hv'wfr  thirty  tonn  larj^rr.  It  oii^lit,  liow«"v«r,  to  bo 
rcinurl^d,  tliat  JinVmiccH  in  tin;  rul<>  of  in<>aNiiriii|;  luniiuvc,  liud 
nrcvaiird  in  dinVrnit  colonics  anion)^  tUv  HliipwriglitH,  an  tiicy  am 
known  Htill  to  rxist  in  ditVcrcnt  iiationH,  and  it  iH  probable  that  Honio 
cont'usiou  may  liav(>  rntcrcd  into  tlicNi;  rr|)ort:<,  in  coiirt<'(|ii('ncc  of  the 
want  of  unit'orinity.  It  may  lu'  acldcd,  that  tlu;  Hnialk-r  vc8tii-lri  ^rcn- 
crally  wrrr  li^ibf  ot*tln'ir  n'sprctive  ratrs,  ami  wi're  by  no  nieanH  to  be 
CBtimatcd  by  tliosc  of  Himilar  rates,  at  the  presmt  day. 

At  tin-  close  of  the  year  I7UH,  tbc  active  force  in  the  West  Indies 
had  been  distributed  into  four  separate  Hfjuadrons  in  the  following 
innnner. 

One  scpiadron  under  Commodore  Barry,  who  was  the  senior  offi- 
cer of  the  service,  cruised  to  the  windward,  runnini^  an  far  south  an 
Tobai^o,  and  (uuisistcd  of  th<'  vess»'|s  about  to  be  named,  viz  : 
United  States  44,  Com.  IJarry. 

Constitution  44,  Capt.  Nicholson, 

fieor^nrc'  Washington      24,      "      Fhftcher. 

24,      "      Brown. 
24,     "      M'Niell. 
18,  Master  Com.  Russcl. 

14,  Lieut.  Com.  Preble. 

15,  •'         Campbell. 
14,  •'         Adams. 
12,  "         Brown. 

This  force  was  now  kept  actively  employed,  the  ships  passin<jf  from 
point  to  ])oint,  with  orders  to  make  a  general  rendezvous  at  Prince 
Rupert's  Bay.  This  scpmdron  made  several  captures,  principally 
of  ])rivateers,  and  as  none  of  them  were  accompanied  by  incidents 
deserving  of  particular  mention,  they  may  be  recorded  together, 
thouuli  occurring  at  different  jjcriods.  The  United  States  44,  Com- 
modore Barry,  captured  I'Ainourde  la  PatrieO,  with  80  men,  and  Ic 
Tartufl'e  8,  with  00  men.  The  Merrimack  24,  Captain  Brown,  la 
Magicienne  14,  with  03  men,  and  le  Bonaparte.  The  Portsmouth 
24,  Captain  M'Niell,  le  Fripon,  and  I'Ami  G,  with  16  men.  Th 
Eagle  14,  Captain  Campbell,  le  Bon  Pi'^re  0,  with  52  men. 

A  sccon<l  sqtmdron,  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Truxtun,  hud  '  -• 
rendezvous  at  St.  Kitts,  and  cruised  as  far  to  leeward  as  Porto  Rm  ». 
It  consisted  of  the 

38,  Com.  Truxtun. 

20,  Capt.  Phillips. 

18,     "      S.  Barron. 

18,     "      Williams. 

14,  "  Bright. 
The  Baltimore  took  I'Esperance,  and  was  present  at  the  capture 
of  la  Sirc'^ne  4,  with  36  men.  This  ship  was  put  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Barron,  soon  after  the  dismissal  of  Captain  Phillips  from 
the  service,  and  before  the  close  of  the  season  was  commanded  by 
Captain  Cowper.  The  Constellation  took  la  Diligenteand  I'Union. 
A  small  force  under  the  orders  of  Captain  Tingey,  watched  the 
passage  between  Cuba  and  St,  Domingo.     It  consisted  of  the 


Constellation 

Baltimore 

Richmond 

Norfolk 

Virffinia 


168 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1799. 


Ganges  24,  Oapt.  Tingey.  » 

Piiickney  18,      '      Hayward. 

South  Carolina  13,      '      Payne. 
The  Ganges  took  le  Vengeur  G,  la  Rabateuse,  I'Eugene,  and  I'Es- 

perance  8. 

The  Delaware  20,  Captain  Decatur,  with  the  revenue  vessels  Gov- 
ernor Jay  14,  and  General  Greene  10,  was  directed  to  cruise  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  Havana,  to  protect  the  trade  on  the  coast  of  Cuba. 
The  Delaware  captured  the  Marsuin  10,  and  the  same  ship,  later  in 
the  season,  under  tiie  orders  of  Captain  Baker,  took  le  Renard  and 
I'Ocean.  The  Montezuma  20,  Captain  Murray,  after  the  capture 
of  the  Retaliation,  and  the  return  of  the  Norfolk  18,  to  America, 
cruised  some  time  alone,  taking  a  small  privateer  of  six  guns. 

Althouj''h  the  year  commenced  with  this  disposition  of  the  vessels, 
many  changes  occurred,  as  the  new  ships  were  got  to  sea,  and  par- 
ticularly on  account  of  the  great  mistake  of  &hii)ping  the  crews  for  a 
i.erm  as  short  as  one  year.  It  followed,  of  course,  that  the  vessels 
which  sailed  in  July  and  August,  1798,  for  the  West  India  station, 
if  called  there  by  no  other  cause,  were  compelled  to  return  home  in 
the  summer  of  1709,  to  discharge  their  crews,  and  to  obtain  otliers  ui 
their  places.  It  was  fortunate  that  the  spirit  of  the  times,  the  absence 
of  privateers,  and  an  abundance  of  men,  in  some  measure,  remedied 
this  defect,  and  that  the  delays  it  caused  were  not  as  material  as 
might  have  been  otherwise  apprehended. 

On  the  9th  of  February,  the  Constellation  38,  Commodore  Trux- 
tun,  was  cruising  on  her  prescribed  ground,  Nevis  bearing  W.  S.  W., 
distant  five  leagues,  when  she  made  a  large  ship  in  the  southern 
board.  The  Constellation  being  to  windward  at  the  moment.  Com- 
modore Truxtun  ran  down  towards  the  stranger,  who  now  set  Amer- 
ican colours,  when  the  private  signals  were  shown.  As  the  chase 
was  unable  to  answer,  he  seemed  to  think  further  disguise  uimeces- 
sary,  for  he  hoisted  the  French  ensign,  and  fired  a  gun  to  windward, 
by  way  of  a  challenge,  keeping  under  easy  sail,  to  invite  the  contest. 
This  was  the  first  opportunity  that  had  occurred  since  the  close  of 
the  Revolution,  for  an  American  vessel  of  war,  to  get  alongside  of 
an  enemy,  of  a  force  likely  to  render  a  combat  certain,  and  the  offi- 
cers and  menof  ti)e  Constellation  displayed  the  greatest  eaiierness  to 
ena-ajre.  On  the  other  hand,  the  stranger  betraved  no  desire  to  dis- 
appoint  his  enemy,  waiting  gallantly  for  lier  to  come  down.  When 
the  Constellation  had  got  abeam  of  the  French  frigate,  and  so  near 
as  to  have  beini  sevrTal  times  hailed,  she  opened  her  fire,  which  was 
returned  promptly  and  with  spirit  The  Constellation  drew  gradually 
ahead,  both  ships  maintainingafiercecamionade.  The  former  suf- 
fered most  in  her  sails  and  rigging,  and  while  under  the  heaviest  of 
the  fin.'  of  Iwjr  antagonist,  the  fore-to|)-mast  was  badly  wounded,  (piite 
near  the  lower  cap.  The  fore-toji  was  commanded  by  Mr.  David 
Porter,  a  midshipman  of  great  promis(>,  and  finding  that  his  hails  to 
comiiKinicate  tiiis  important  circumstance  were  disrcirardcd,  in  the 
heat  of  the  cond)at,  this  young  ofiiccr  took  on  himself  thf  responsi- 
bility of  cutting  the  stoppers  and  of  lowering  the  yard.     By  thus 


1799.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


169 


im 


relieving  the  spar  of  the  pressure  of  the  sail,  he  prevented  the  fall  of 
the  top-mast  and  all  its  hamper.  In  the  mean  time  the  weight  and 
effect  of  the  fire  were  altogether  in  favour  of  the  Constellation,  and 
notwithstanding  the  injury  she  received  in  her  fore-topmast,  that 
ship  was  soon  able  to  throw  in  two  or  three  raking  broadsides,  which 
decided  the  combat.  After  maintaining  a  close  contest,  in  this  man- 
ner, of  about  an  hour,  the  Constellation  shot  out  of  the  smoke,  wore 
round,  and  hauling  athwart  her  antagonist's  stern  was  ready  again 
with  every  gun  to  rake  her,  when  the  enemy  struck. 

The  prize  proved  to  be  the  French  frigate  I'Insurgente,  Captain 
Barrcault,  the  vessel  that  has  already  been  mentioned,  as  having 
captured  the  Retaliation,  and  chasing  the  Montezuma  and  Norfolk, 
and  one  of  the  fastest  ships  in  the  world.  She  was  much  cut  up,  and 
had  sustained  a  loss  of  70  men,  in  killed  and  wounded  ;  29  of  the 
former,  and  41  of  the  latter.  The  Constellation,  besides  the  loss  of 
the  fore-top-mast,  which  had  to  be  shifted,  was  much  damaged  aloft, 
suffering  no  material  injury  in  her  ludl,  however,  and  had  only  3  men 
wounded.  Among  the  latter,  was  Mr,  James  M'Donough,  a  mid- 
shipman, who  had  a  foot  shot  off.  Early  in  the  combat,  one  of  the 
men  flinched  from  his  grn,  and  he  was  killed  by  the  third  lieutenant, 
to  whose  division  he  belonged. 

The  Insurgente's  armament  consisted  of  40  guns,  French  twelves, 
on  her  main-deck  battery,  and  her  complement  of  men  was  409. 
She  was  a  ship  a  little  heavier  than  a  regular  32,  which  would  pro- 
bably have  been  her  rate  in  the  English  marine,  although  a  French 
twelve-pound  shot  weighs  nearly  thirteen  English  pounds.  On  this 
occasion,  the  Constellation  is  said  to  have  carried  but  38  guns,  twelve 
less  than  have  been  put  upon  her  since  the  introduction  of  carron- 
ades,  and  she  had  a  crew  of  309  men.  But  the  main-deck  battery 
of  the  Constellation  was  composed  of  twenty-fours,  a  gun  altogether 
too  heavy  for  her  size  and  strength,  and  from  which  she  was  relieved 
at  the  termination  of  this  cruise,  by  exchanging  her  armament  for 
eighteens.* 

The  result  of  this  engagement  produced  great  exultation  in  Amer- 
ica, and  it  was  deemed  a  proof  of  an  aptitude  to  nautical  service,  that 
was  very  grateful  to  the  national  pride.  Without  pausing  to  examine 
details,  the  country  claimed  it  as  a  victory  of  a  38  over  a  40  ;  and 
the  new  marine  was,  at  once,  proclaimed  to  be  equal  to  an}'-  in  the 
world  ;  a  decision  somewhat  hazardous  when  made  on  a  single  ex- 
periment, and  which  was  certainly  formed  without  a  full  understand- 
ing of  the  whole  subject.  It  is  dne  to  a  gallant  enemy,  to  say  that 
Captain  Barreault,  who  defended  hissliip  as  long  as  there  was  a  hope 
of  success,  was  overcome  by  a  superior  force  ;  and  it  is  also  due  to 
Commodore  Trnxttm,  and  to  those  under  his  command,  to  add  that 
they  did  their  work  with  an  expedition  and  effect  every  way  p'"opor- 
tioiM'd  to  the  disparity  in  their  favour.  There  is  scarcely  an  iii;itance 
on  record,  (we  are  not  certain  there  is  one,)  of  a  full-manned  frigate, 
carrying  twelves,  prevailing  in  a  contest  with  even  a  shipof  eighteens ; 

"See  note  B,  end  of  volume. 


170 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1799. 


1^  'v 


I 


and,  ill  this  instance,  we  see  that  the  Insurgente  had  twenty-fours  to 
oppose.  Victory  was  next  to  hopeless,  under  such  circumstances, 
thoujrh,  on  tlie  otlier  hand,  we  are  not  to  overlook  the  readiness  with 
which  a  conflict  with  an  unknown  antagonist  was  sought,  and  the 
neatness  and  despatch  with  which  tiie  hattle  was  won. 

The  Insurgente  struck  about  half  past  three  in  the  afternoon,  and 
Mr.  Rodw-ers^*  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Constellatio»<,  together  with 
Mr.  Porter,t  and  eleven  men,  were  thrown  on  bourd  her,  to  take 
possession,  and  to  superintend  th6  removal  of  the  prisoners.  It  be- 
gan to  blow,  and  when  the  darkness  rendered  it  necessary  to  defer  the 
duty,  \7'S  of  the  prize's  crew  were  still  in  her.  The  wind  continued 
to  rise,  and,  notwithstanding  every  effort,  the  ships  separated  in  the 
darkness. 

The  situation  of  Mr.  Rodgers  was  now  exceedingly  critical.  The 
vessel  was  still  covered  with  the  wreck,  while  the  wounded,  and  even 
the  dead  were  lying  scattered  about  her  decks,  and  the  prisoners  early 
discovered  a  disposition  to  rise.  The  gratings  had  been  thrown  over- 
board by  the  people  of  the  Insurgente  after  she  struck,  and  no  hand- 
cuffs could  be  found.  Fortunately,  Mr.  Rodgers  was  a  man  of  great 
personal  resolution,  and  of  herculean  strength,  while  Mr.  Porter, 
though  young  and  comparatively  slight,  was  as  good  a  second,  in 
such  trying  circumstances,  as  any  one  could  desire.  As  soon  as  it 
was  ascertained  that  the  prisoners  could  not  be  got  out  of  the  ship  that 
night,  they  were  all  sent  into  the  lower  hold,  the  fire-arms  were 
secured,  and  a  sentinel  was  i)laced  at  each  hatchwfiy,  armed  to  the 
teeth,  with  positive  orders  to  shoot  every  man  who  should  attempt  to 
appear  on  deck,  without  permission.  In  this  awkward  situation, 
Mr.  Rodgers  and  his  i)arry  contimied  three  days,  unable  to  sleep, 
compelled  to  manage  a  frigate,  and  to  watch  their  prisoners,  with  the 
utmost  vigilance,  as  the  latter  were  constantly  on  the  look-out  for  an 
opportunity  to  retake  the  ship.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  they  carried 
the  Insurgente,  in  triumph,  into  St.  Kitts,  where  they  found  that  the 
Constellation  had  already  arrived. 

Mr.  Rodgers  and  Mr.  Cowper,  the  first  and  second  lieutenants  of 
the  Constellation,  were  soon  after  promoted  to  be  captains,  great 
irreiiularity  existing  in  the  service,  at  that  day,  on  subjects  of  this 
nature.  The  rank  of  master  commandant  had  been  established,  but 
the  governiucnt  appeared  to  think  that  it  was  still  organising  a 
marine,  and  it  was  empowered  to  exercise  its  discretion,  in  trans- 
ferring officers  at  will,  from  one  grade  to  another,  so  long  as  no  one 
was  reduced  from  a  former  station.  Caj)tain  Rodgers  was  appointed 
to  the  Maryland  'iO,  and  Captain  Cowper  to  the  Baltimore  '2i). 

One  oftlie  effects  of  the  victory  of  the  Constellation  was  to  render 
ihe  navy  still  more  ))o|)ular,  and  tin;  most  respectable  families  of  the 
nation  discovered  greater  anxiety  than  ever  to  get  their  sons  enrolled 
on  tliei;-  lists.  The  new  ships  were  put  into  th.5  water  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible, and,  as  soon  as  inamu d  and  equipped,  were  sent  on  the  dilfer- 
ent  cruising  grounds.     L'Insurgente  was  taken  isito  the  service  as  a 


*  Late  Coinmodoro  Rodgers. 


t  Lat',  Coniinodorc  rin'tcr. 


*  Asm 
der  ('(,1111 
wJicnsIic 
on  bnnni 
to  ('(inmi 
bold  ofi;.| 
fiwnyiii-,' 
catc  II mil 

OUU'Ilt  l( 

mostly  Mj 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


171 


thirty-six,  the  command  of  her  was  given  to  Captain  Murray,  late  of 
the  Montezuma  20,  and  she  was  permitted  to  cruise  with  a  roving 
commission- 
In  the  mean  time,  the  care  of  the  government  appeared  to  extend 
itself,  and  it  began  to  cast  its  eyes  beyond  the  hazards  of  the  Ameri- 
can seas. 

At  the  close  of  the  year,  the  Congress  38,  Captain  Sever,  and  Essex 
32,  Captain  Preble,  sailed  with  orders  to  convoy  vessels  as  far  as  Ba- 
tavia.  The  former  of  these  vessels  met  with  an  accident  to  which 
all  new  ships  are  liable  on  quitting  America  in  the  winter.  Her 
rigging  having  been  set  up  in  cold  weather,  it  became  slack  when  she 
got  into  the  gulf  stream,  where  she  also  encountered  a  strong  south- 
erly gale,  and  she  lost  not  only  all  her  masts,  but  her  bowsprit.  The 
main-mast  went  while  Mr.  Bosworth,  the  fourth  lieutenant,  was  aloft, 
endeavouring  to  lower  the  main-topmast,  by  which  accident  that  offi- 
cer was  lost.     The  crew  of  the  top  were  all  happily  saved.* 

The  Congress  returned  to  port,  for  repairx,  but  Captain  Preble 
proceeded  on  his  cruise,  carrying  the  pennant,  for  the  first  time,  in  a 
regular  cruiser,  to  tlie  eastward  of  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope. 

The  active  measures  resorted  tp  by  the  American  government  hav- 
ing better  disposed  that  of  France  to  negotiate,  and  plcdjffs  l;:*ving 
been  given  that  new  ministers  would  be  received  with  more  nsipect 
than  had  h( en  shown  to  those  last  sent,  who  had  met  with  insults  and 
neglect,  the  United  States  44,  Commodore  Barry,  sailed  from  New- 
port, Rhode  Island,  on  tlie  3d  of  November,  having  on  board  envoys 
to  the  French  Directory.  Notwithstanding  these  ineasun  <  to  obtain 
peace,  Congress  proceeded  in  the  legislation  necessary  to  f  wtablish  a 
marine.  Many  of  the  laws  for  the  government  of  the  niivy  were 
amended,  and  new  regulations  were  introduced  as  substitutes  for  such 
of  tlie  olrl  ones  as  were  found  defective.  The  appropriation  for  the 
support  of  the  navy,  duriiiij  the  year  1800,  tlie  mariiHj  corps  included, 
amounted  to  $2,482,953  90. 

The  new  year  conseciuently  opened  rvith  increased  efforts  to  con- 
tinue the  singular  war  that  had  now  existed  eighteen  months.  Many 
acquisitions  were  nuide  to  the  navy,  and  the  following  is  a  list  of  the 
vessels  that  appear  to  have  been  eni[)loyed  in  the  course  of  the  season, 
principally  in  the  West  Indies,  viz ; 


United  States 

44, 

Piesident 

44, 

Constitution 

44, 

(constellation 

38, 

Congress 

38, 

Delaware 

20, 

Chesapeake 

•J8, 

Baltimore 

20, 

Philadelphia 

38, 

Maryland 

20, 

*  A  similar  ncridont  was  near  orcurrini?  to  tfce  Uiiitcri  Statps  44,  in  lipr  first  crtiiso,  un- 
der ('(.mnioilorc  Barry.  Ahvr  tlin  ship  trot  into  ttw  trulf  stroam,  the  ritrtrinq  slarlionet , 
wliciislic  was  ■.ciuMiiii,' ton  knots  in  a  iralo,  and  roJIinf!;  nearly  rrunwalo  to  Wliilo  r.ll 
on  board  were  trcinbliiii,''  fortlic  masts,  Mr.  .lames  Harron,  tlie  lliivd  lirntrnant,  iM(i|ii)sod 
to  ('(inimodore  Harry  to  si't  up  tlio  riifL'iner,  <  ontidontly  doclarinu:  ids  ability  to  do  so.  This 
bold  oUrr  was  accepted,  and  Mr.  IJarron  L'ot  iinrciiases  on  every  other  shroud,  and  by 
fiwiiyiii:,'  lo!,'eilior  at  thiM'idl,  niid(>r  tin.'  vigilant  superinteudence  of  the  ofllcers.  this  deli- 
cate  iindertaUintr  was  accomi)lished  witli  success,  and  ihc  ship's  masts  were  saved.  It 
ouirhl  iti  1)(!  renuMnhered  that  few  of  the  masts  in  this  war  were  made,  but  thai  they  were 
mostly  single  sticks. 


172 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


L1800. 


New  York  36,  Patapsco  20, 

Iiisurgente  36,  Herald  18, 

Essex  33,  Norfolk  18, 

General  Greene     28,  Richmond  18, 

Adams  28,  Pinckney  18, 

John  Adams  28,  Warren  18, 

Boston  28,  Eagle  U, 

Goo.  Washington  24,  Pickering  14, 

Connecticut  24,  Augusta  14, 

Ganges  21,  Scammel  14, 

Trumb'jll  24,  Enterprise  12, 

Portsmouth  24,  Experiment  12. 

Merrimac'f  24, 

By  this  time,  tne  revenue  vessels,  with  the  exception  of  one  or  two, 

appear  to  have  been  retained  at  home,  and  in  the  foregoing  list,  no 

mention  is  made  of  galleys.     Laws  had  been  previously  passed  for 

the  construction  of  six  seventy-fours,  and  contracts  were  already  made 

for  the  collection  of  the  necessary  materials. 

The  cruising  portion  of  the  vessels  were  distributed  in  two  princi- 
pal squadrons,  the  one  on  the  St.  Domingo  station  under  the  orders 
of  Commodore  Talbot,  whose  broad  pennant  was  flying  in  the  Con- 
stitution 44,  and  the  other  on  the  Guadaloupe  station,  under  the  or- 
ders, first  of  Commodore  Truxtun,  in  the  Constellation  38,  and  next 
under  the  orders  of  Commodore  Decatur,  in  the  Philadelphia  38. 
The  force  of  the  former  varied  from  seven  to  twelve  vessels,  while 
the  hitter,  in  April,  consisted  of  thirteen  sail. 

Notwithstanding  this  exhibition  of  a  respectable  and  active  force, 
the  great  facilities  oflTered  by  the  islands,  and  the  strong  temptations 
that  were  to  be  found  in  the  American  West  India  trade,  then  one  of 
the  most  considerable  of  the  country,  induced  the  enemy  to  be  con- 
stantly on  the  alert,  and  the  seas  were  still  swarming  witji  French 
cruisers,  |)riiK'ipaIIy  privateers.  Guadaloupe,  in  particular,  was  dis- 
tinguished for  the  number  of  captures  made  by  its  vessels;  and  it 
was  for  this  reason  that  we  now  find  the  heaviest  American  squadron 
cruisiTinr  ill  that  vicinity 

On  the  1st  of  February,  1800,  the  Constellation  38,  Commodore 
Tnixtini,  was  again  off  the  i.land  of  Guadaloupe,  alone,  Basseterre 
beiiiii oast  five  leagues,  when  a  s;iil  was  seen  to  the  southeast,  steering 
westwnrd.  Commodore  Truxtun  at  first  sup])ospd  the  ship  in  sight 
to  be  a  large  English  merchanffuan,  from  IMartinico,  of  whieb  be  iiad 
some  linowledge,  and,  niiwillinir  to  be  drawn  to  leeward  of  bis  crui- 
sing ground,  he  hoisted  English  colours,  b}  «;iy  of  inducing  her  to 
run  down  and  s|)eak  him,  This  invitation  being  disregarded,  sail 
was  innde  in  chase,  the  Cons.i'Ilation  gaining  fast  on  the  stranger. 
A?  tlu'  latter  drew  nearer,  the  s^hip  to  windward  was  dis<'ov(  red  to  be 
a  Freiicli  vessel  of  war,  wIkii  the  English  eo'onrs  were  hatded  down, 
and  the  Constellation  cleared  for  action.  The  chase  was  now  dis- 
tinctly made  out  to  be  a  beavv  frigate  inoinitin<r  .')2  ginis.  As  her 
metal  was  in  all  |)robabiIity  Cfpial  to  her  rate,  the  oidy  cirennisfance 
to  equalise  this  disjiarity  against  the  Constellation,  was  the  liict  that 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


173 


Jl 


the  stranger  was  \ery  deep  which  was  accounted  for  by  a  practice  of 
sending  valuable  articles  to  France,  at  that  time,  in  the  ships  of  war, 
as  the  safest  means  of  transmission.     Commodore  Truxtun  was  not 
discouraged  by  his  discovery,  but  continued  to  carry  every  stitch  of 
canvass  that  would  draw.     Towards  noon,  however,  the  wind  be- 
came light,   and  the  enemy  had  the  advantage  in  sailing.     In  this 
manner,  with  variable  breezes,  and  a  smooth  sea,  the  chase  continued 
until  noon  on  the  2d,  when  the  wind  freshened,  and  tlie  Constellation 
again  drew  ahead.     By  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  the  wind  had 
every  appearance  of  standing,  and  the  chase  was  rising  fast.     It  v/as 
eight  in  the  evening,  nevertheless,  before  the  two  ships  were  within 
speaking  distance  of  each  other,  the  stranger  having  come  up  to  the 
wind  a  little,  and  the  Constellation  doubling  on  her  weather  quarter. 
Commodore  Truxtun  was  about  to  speak  to  the  enemy,  when  the 
latter  opened  a  fire  from  his  stern  and  quarter  guns.     In  a  few  mo- 
ments the  Constellation,  having  drawn  still  more  on  the  weather 
quarter  of  the  chase,  poured  iu  a  broadside,  and  the  action  began 
in  earnest.     It  was  a  little   past  ei<;lit;  when  the  firing  commenced, 
and  it  was  maintained  with  vigour  until  near  one  in  the  morning, 
the  two  ships,  most  of  the  time,  running  free,  side  by  side,  when  the 
stranger  hauled  up,  and  drew  out  of  the  combat.     Orders  were  given 
on  board  the  Constellation  to  brace  up  in  chase ;  but  at  this  moment, 
a  report  was  brought  to  Commodore  Truxtun  that  the  main-mast 
was  supported  almost  solely  by  the  wood,  every  shroud  having  been 
shot  away,  and  many  of  ihem  so  repeatedly  cut  as  to  render  the  use 
of  stoppers  impossible.     At  that  time,  as  has  been  said  already,  masts 
were  usually,  in  the  American  navy,  of  single  sticks,  and  the  spars, 
when  they  gave  way,  went  altogether.     Aware  of  this  danger.  Com- 
modore Truxtun  ordered  the  men  from  the  guns,  to  secure  this  all- 
important  mast,  with  the  hope  of  getting  alongside  of  his  enemy  again, 
and,  judging  by  the  feebleness  of  her  resistance  for  the  last  hour,  with 
the  certainty  of  taking  her,  could  this  object  be  effected.     But  no  ex- 
ertion, could  obviate  the    calamity,  the  mast  coming  by  the  board 
within  a  few  minutes  after   the  enemy  had   sheered  off.     All  the 
topmen,  including  Mr.  Jarvis,  the   midshipman  in  command  alofi:, 
went  over  the  side  with  the  spars,  and,  that  gallant  young  officer, 
who  had  refused  to  abandon  his  post,  with  all  but  one  man,  was  lost. 

The  Constellation  was  no  longer  in  a  situation  to  resume  the 
action,  and  her  enemy  was  in  a  far  worse  condition,  with  the  excep- 
tion that  she  still  retained  spars  enough  to  enable  her  to  escape. 
Finding  it  impossible  to  reach  any  friendly  port  to  windward,  as  soon 
as  the  wreck  was  clear  of  his  ship.  Commodore  Truxtun  bore  up  for 
Jamaica,  where  he  arrived  in  safety. 

In  this  close  and  hard-fought  action,  the  Constellation  had  14  men 
killed  and  2;"*  wounded,  11  of  the  latter  dying  of  their  injuries.  Her 
antagonist  afterwards  got  into  Curac^oa,  dismasted,  and  in  a  sinking 
conditio!!,  reporting  herself  to  have  had  50  of  her  people  killed,  and 
110  wounded,  in  an  engagement  with  the  Constellation,  that  had 
lasted  tlve  hours  within  pistol-shot.  This  statement  is  now  known 
to  be  essentially  true,  and  it  enables  us  to  form  a  comparative  esti- 


174 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1800. 


mate  of  the  merits  of  the  notion.  The  French  vessel  proved  to  be 
la  Vengeance,  Captain  Pitot. 

The  armament  of  the  Constellation  had  been  changed  since  her 
..action  with  the  Insurgente,  and  her  main-deck  battery  now  consisted 
of  28  eightPcns,  and  she  had  10  twenty-four-pound  carronades  on 
her  quarter-deck,  which  were  among  the  first,  if  not  the  very  first 
guns  of  this  description  ever  introduced  into  the  American  navy. 
Her  crew  was  composed  of  310  souls. 

It  is  said  that  the  force  of  la  Vengeance  has  been  ascertained  to 
have  been  28  eighteens,  16  twelves,  and  8  forty-two-pound  carron- 
ades. Ilcr  crew  has  been  variously  stated  as  having  been  between 
400  and  500  men.  The  metal  was  all  according  to  the  French  nude 
of  weighing,  which  adds  one  pound  to  every  twelve.* 

There  is  no  question  that  the  Constellation  engaged  a  materially 
superior  force,  or  any  doubt  that  she  would  have  brought  la  Ven- 
geance into  port,  but  for  the  loss  of  the  mast.  It  is  even  said,  that 
la  Vengeance  did  strike  her  colours  three  times,  during  the  action, 
but  finding  that  the  Constellation  continued  her  fire,  they  were  re- 
hoisted.  If  such  an  event  occurred,  it  must  havo  arisen  from  the  fact 
that  it  was  not  perceived  in  the  obscurity  of  ihe  night. 

Commodore  Truxtun  gained  a  great  name  by  this  action,  and,  on 
his  return  to  America  for  repairs,  he  was  appointed  to  th«'  President 
44,  then  fitting  for  sea.  Congress  gave  him  a  gold  medal  for  his 
good  conduct,  and  the  gallantry  of  Mr.  Jarvis  was  approved  in  a 
solemn  resolution.  The  Constellation  was  siow  given  to  Captain 
Murray,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  short  cruise  in  the  Insurgente, 
and  tiiat  officer  went  in  her  to  the  West  Indies,  where  she  joined  the 
squadron  under  Commodore  Talbot. 

The  latter  officer  had  been  cruising  for  some  months  on  the  St. 
Domingo  station,  and  about  this  time  he  planned  an  expedition  that 
was  quite  in  character  with  his  own  personal  enterprises  during  the 
war  of  the  Revolution. 

It  was  ascertained  that  a  valuable  French  letter  of  marque,  was 
lying  in  Port  au  Platte,  a  small  harbour  on  the  Spanish  side  of  the 

*  Various  statcninnts  have  been  piven  of  the  construction  of  la  Vcnp:canco,  as  well  as 
of  her  armament.  The  papers  of  the  day  contain  an  account  of  a  Mr.  James  Howe,  who 
was  n  prisoner  on  board  her  durinc;  the  actum,  and  who  is  said  to  havo  bronirht  in  with 
him  a  certificate  from  Captain  Pitot,  that  ho  and  the  other  prisoners  on  board,  .3(5  in 
number,  refused  to  fitjht  atrainst  their  country,  when  the  ship  engasred.  According  to 
the  statempiit  of  this  witness,  la  Vengeance  carried  on  her  fi^nn-deck  33  eighteens,  2  of 
which  were  mounted  al\  ;  on  her  quarter-deck,  4  long  twelves  and  12  thirty  six-pound 
br.ass  carronudes  ;  and  on  her  forecastle,  6  twelves  ;  making  in  all  .'54,  and  a  broadside  of 
20  gun<.  Her  crew  is  stated  at  400  men,  including  a  good  many  passengers,  all  of  whom 
were  mustered  at  quarters.  La  Vengeance  was  described  by  Mr.  Howe  as  having  suf- 
fered severely,  having  received  18(J  round  shot  in  her  hull.  The  slaughter  on  board  waf 
terrible. 

This  account  has  much  about  it  that  is  probable.  The  presence  of  Mr.  Howe  was 
anthenticated  by  the  certificate;  the  stern-guns  agree  with  Commodore  Truxtun's  ac- 
count of  the  roniinencemont  of  th(!  action;  and  the  armament  is  very  much  what  would 
have  been  used  by  a  heavy  French  frigate  of  the  ilay,  on  board  of  which  carronades  had 
been  introduced.  A  rejiortthat  she  was  a  ship  on  two  decks,  which  was  current  at  the 
time,  may  very  well  have  ari.sen  fronitlio  circumstance  of  her  carrying  so  many  guns  on 
her  ([uarter-drckand  forecastle;  but  it  is  probables  tliat  Commodore  Truxtun  would  have 
reported  her  a.s  a  two-decker  hai'i  such  been  the  fact.  The  inimber  of  the  crew  is  a  cir 
cnmstance  in  which  a  jiasst^nge-r  might  very  well  beinistak<"n  ;  and  it  is  welJ  known  the 
French  were  in  the  practice  of  over-manning,  rather  than  of  unrlermaiming  their  ships. 


went  to 
a  girtlii 
royal  y; 
afor  .s!i( 

IVoe.i 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


175 


to 
>of 


mid 

Imd 
the 
Hon 
avc 
cir 
the 
s. 


Island  of  St.  Domingo,  nnd  as  she  was  a  dangerous  ship  on  account 
of  her  sailing,  Commodore  Talbot  determined  to  attempt  cutting  her 
out.  This  vessel  had  lieen  the  Britisli  packet  the  Sandwich,  and 
she  only  waited  to  complete  a  cargo  of  coffee,  to  make  a  run  for 
France.  The  legality  of  the  enterprise  was  more  than  questionable, 
but  the  French  picaroons  received  so  much  favour  in  the  Spanish 
colonies,  that  the  American  officers  were  less  scrupulous  than  they 
might  otherwise  have  been. 

As  soon  as  it  was  determined  to  make  the  effort,  Mr.  Hull,  the  first 
lieutenant  of  the  Constitution  went  in,  at  night,  with  one  of  the  frig- 
ate's cutters,  and  rccontioitred.  Commodore  Talbot  was  compelled 
to  defer  the  expedition,  tor  want  of  a  proper  craft  to  avoid  suspicion, 
when  fortunately  one  was  found  by  accident.  An  American  sloop 
called  the  Sally  had  been  employed  on  the  coast  of  the  island,  under 
circumstances  that  rendered  her  liable  to  detention,  and  she  was 
brought  out  of  one  of  the  small  French  ports,  by  a  boat  of  the  frigate. 
This  sloop  had  recently  left  Port  Platte,  with  an  intention  of  soon 
returning  there,  and  she,  at  once,  afforded  all  the  facilities  that  could 
be  desired. 

Commodore  Talbot,  accordingly,  threw  a  party  of  seamen  and  ma- 
rines into  the  Sally,  and  giving  the  command  to  Mr.  Hull,  that  officer 
was  directed  to  jirocced  on  the  duty  without  further  delay.  The 
sloop  was  manned  at  sea,  to  escape  detection,  and  she  sailed  at  an 
hour  that  would  enable  her  to  reach  Port  Platte,  about  noon  of  the 
succeeding  day.  In  the  course  of  the  night,  while  running  down  for 
her  port,  under  easy  sail,  a  shot  suddenly  flew  over  the  Sally,  and, 
soon  after,  an  English  frigate  ranged  up  alongside.  Mr.  Hull  hove 
to,  and  when  the  boarding  lieutenant  got  on  the  sloop's  deck,  where 
he  found  so  large  a  party  of  men  and  officers  in  naval  uniforms,  he 
was  both  startled  and  surprised.  He  was  told  the  object  of  the  ex- 
pedition, however,  and  expressed  his  disappointment,  as  his  own 
ship  was  only  waiting  to  let  the  Sandwich  complete  her  cargo,  in 
order  to  cut  her  out  also  ! 

The  Sally's  movements  were  so  well  timed,  as  to  permit  her  to 
arrive  off  the  harbour's  mouth  at  the  proper  hour.  The  Sandwich 
was  lying  with  her  broadside  bearing  on  the  approach,  and  there  was 
a  battery  at  no  great  distance  to  protect  her.  As  soon  as  near  enough 
to  be  seen,  Mr.  Hull  sent  most  of  his  people  below,  and  getting  an 
anchor  ready  over  the  stern,  to  bring  the  sloop  up  with,  he  stood 
directly  for  the  enemy's  bows.  So  admirably  was  every  thing  ar- 
ranged, that  no  suspicion  was  excited,  the  Sally  ran  the  Sandwich 
aboard,  the  Constitution's  people  went  into  her,  and  carried  her  with- 
out the  loss  of  a  man.  At  the  same  moment.  Captain  Carmick 
landed  with  the  marines,  entered  the  battery,  and  spiked  the  guns. 

Notwithstanding  a  great  commotion  on  shore,  the  Americans  now 
went  to  work  to  secure  their  prize.  The  Sandwich  was  stripped  to 
a  girtline,  and  every  thing  was  below.  Before  sunset  she  had 
royal  yards  across,  her  gtms  scaled,  her  new  crew  quartered,  and  soon 
af  er  she  weighed,  beat  out  of  the  harbour,  and  Joined  the  frigate. 

No  enterprise  of  the  sort  was  ever  executed  with  greater  steadiness, 


17G 


NAVAL  IirSTORY. 


ri8oo. 


or  discipline.  Mr.  Hull  gaiiiecl  great  credit  by  the  ntaUiess  with 
which  he  i'uHillod  his  orders,  uiid  it  was  not  possible  for  an  officer  to 
have  been  better  sustained;  the  t,'tseiice  of  loss,  in  all  cases  of  sur- 
prise, in  which  the  assailed  have  the  means  of  resistance,  being  one 
of  the  strongest  proofs  not  only  of  the  gallantry  and  spirit,  but  of  the 
coolness  of  the  assailants. 

In  the  end,  however,  this  capture,  which  was  clearly  illegal,  cost 
the  Constitution  dear.  Not  only  was  the  Sandwich  given  up,  but  all 
the  prize  money  of  the  cruise  went  to  pay  damages. 

Early  in  May  the  Chesapeake  JiS,  went  to  sea,  under  the  com- 
mand of  Captain  S.  Barron.  Her  fn-.<t  duty  was  to  convey  a  (pianlify 
of  sjiccic  from  Charleston  to  Philadel])hia,  after  which  she  proceeded 
to  cruise  between  the  coast  and  the  West  India  islands. 

The  Insurgente  3G,  had  '>een  giv."'  to  Captain  Fletcher,  when 
Captain  MiUTay  was  transferred  to  the  Constellation,  and  in  July  she 
sailed  on  a  cruise,  with  instructions  to  keep  between  longitudes  ()C° 
and  G8^,  ami  to  run  as  far  south  as  30^  N.  L.  After  this  shij)  left 
the  cajjcs  of  Virginia,  no  authentic  accounts,  with  the  exception  of 
a  few  private  letters  sent  in  by  vessels  spoken  at  sea,  were  ever  re- 
ceived of  her.  She  had  been  ordered  to  cruise  a  short  time  in  the 
latitude  and  longitude  mentioned,  after  which  her  commander  was 
left  at  liberty  to  pursue  his  own  discretion,  provided  he  returned  to 
Annapolis  within  eight  weeks.  Forty-six  years  have  elapsed  and  no 
further  tidings  of  any  belonging  to  this  ill-fated  sliip  have  ever 
reached  their  friends. 

The  Pickering  14,  Captain  Ilillar,  also  sailed  in  August,  for  the 
Guada'oupe  station,  and  never  returned.  As  in  the  case  of  the  In- 
surgenu  ,  all  on  board  perished,  no  information  that  could  be  relied 
on  ever  having  been  obtained  of  the  manner  in  which  these  vessels 
were  lost.  Vague  rumours  were  set  utloat  at  the  time,  and  it  was  even 
affirmed  that  they  had  run  foul  of  each  other  in  a  gale,  a  tale  that 
was  substantiated  by  no  testimony,  and  which  was  probably  untrue, 
as  the  Pickering  was  sent  to  a  station,  which  the  Insurgente,  under 
discrctioHiry  orders,  would  be  little  aj)t  to  seek,  since  it  was  known 
to  be  alnady  filled  with  American  cruisers.  Those  two  ships  swelled 
the  li^it  of  vessels  t)f  war  that  had  been  lost  in  this  manner  to  three, 
viz:  the  Saratoga  16,  the  Insurgente  30,  and  the  Pickering  14;  to 
which  Miay  be  added  the  Reprisal  16,  thougl  Mic  cook  of  the  latter 
sloop  was  saved. 

The  nature  of  the  w^rfiire,  which  was  now  confined  principally 
to  chases  and  conflicts  winSi  small  fast-sailing  privateers,  and  a  sj)e- 
cics  of  corsair  that  went  H*-  the  local  name  of  picaroons,  or  Avith 
barges  that  ventured  no  great  distance  at  sea,  soon  satisfied  the 
governnient  that,  to  carry  on  tlic  service  to  advantage,  it  required  a 
species  of  vessel  different  from  the  heavy,  short,  sloop  of  twenty,  or 
twenty-four  guns,  of  which  so  many  were  used  in  the  beginning  of 
the  eont<'!^  Two  schooners  had  been  built  with  this  view,  and  each 
of  them  fully  proved  their  superiority  over  tin'  old  clumsy  cruiser, 
that  had  K  en  inherited,  as  it  might  be,  from  the  Revolution.  Oneof 
these  vessels  was  called  the  Experinient,  and  the  other  the  Enterprise, 


1800.] 


NAVAL  IlIS'i')RY. 


17 


to 


unil  tliey  witc  ruled  »t  twelve  {(uiis.  Tlie  modern  improvements, 
howev(!r,  did  not  extend  to  the  armaments  of  even  these  schooicra, 
the  old-fashioned  six-pounder  Ixii"^  still  used,  where  un  181b.  carro- 
uude  wonl('  now  be  introduced. 

It  was  Decend)er,  171)9,  before  the  Enterprise  got  to  sea,  under 
tlie  orders  of  Lt.  Com.  Shaw.  This  vessel  joined  the  windward 
Island  station,  but  falling  in  with  the  Constellation,  38,  Just  after  her 
bloody  action  with  'a  Vengeance,  Com.  Truxtun  ordered  her  to 
Philadel|ihia  will.  N  lespatehes.  J'l  March,  however,  the  schooner 
was  oir  Cape  Fraa^  ois,  when  having  communicated  with  Com. 
Talbot,  ='ie  proceeded  to  join  Conj.  Truxtun  who  was  supposed  to 
be  at  Jamaica.  Ascertaining  on  his  way  to  that  island,  that  the 
Constellation  had  sailed  for  home,  Lt.  Com.  Shaw  immediately  hauled 
up  for  St.  Kitts,  where  the  windward  squadron  had  been  commanded 
to  rendezvous. 

When  near  the  Mona  Passage,  <.m  ner  way  to  her  station,  the 
Enterprise  made  a  brig  to  the  southward  and  eastward,  anil  gave 
chase.  The  brig  soon  showed  Spanish  colours,  the  schooner  keeping 
her  own  projjcr  flag  flying  t'-e  v  ''ole  time.  Soon  after  showing  her 
ensign,  he  brig  opened  on  the  American  vessel,  which  had  by  this 
tin/'  »iot  within  gun-shot.  Instead  ^lf  returning  this  fire,  which  was 
coi.i'  ued,  the  Enterprise  stood  on,  close  hauled,  until  she  had  got 
well  on  the  brig's  weather  quaiter,  when  she  gave  a  broadside  in 
return.  This  was  the  conmiencement  of  a  sharp  conflict,  which  con- 
tiimv'd  twenty  minutes.  At  the  end  of  that  time,  the  vessels  sepa- 
rated as  by  mutual  consent,  the  circumstance  that  each  still  kept  her 
proper  colours  flying  having  probably  satisfied  both  they  were  not 
legally  enemies. 

The  brig  mounted  eighteen  guns  .mi  carried  heavier  metal  than 
her  antagonist.  Both  vessels  sufl'ered  a  good  -^eal,  though  little  was 
said  of  it  at  the  time,  nor  does  it  seem  to  have  ever  been  the  subject 
of  any  jwlitical  correspondence.  It  was  probably  regarded  as  one 
of  those  accidents  of  the  sea,  to  whi  ••  all  cruisers  are  more  or  less 
liable, and  which  ought  to  be  treated  i.  occurrences  for  which  no  one  is 
responsible.  The  spirit  manifested  )»v  Jut.  Com.  Shaw,  nevertheless, 
obtained  for  him  considerable  reput.Jion  in  his  own  service,  and  his 
little  schooner  was  considered  to  have  done  credit  to  her  ensign. 
This  was  the  first  of  nmny  actions  that  this  favourite  and  fortunate 
vessel  fought  during  the  succeeding  fifteen  years. 

Th(!  Enterprise,  after  her  rencon'ce  with  the  Spanish  brig,  went 
into  St.  Thomas'  to  refit.  In  tliat  j)ort  was  lying  a  heavy  French 
lugger,  which  mounted  twelve  guns,  uiid  which  was  reported  to  have 
had  a  crew  of  000  men^  the  number  of  guns  being  the  same  as  that 
of  the  American  vessel,  while  the  reported  crew  was  about  twenty 
more.  Shortly  after  his  arrival,  Lt.  Com.  Shaw  received  a  civil 
message  from  the  commander  of  this  l.igger,  expressin'r  a  desire  to 
meet  him  outside.  The  challenge  was  accepted,  and,  at  the  speci- 
fied time,  the  Enterprise  stood  out  intf  the  oflSng.  Here  she  rounded 
torn  waiting  for  her  expected  antagonist,  but  tlie  lugger  remained  at 
her  anchorage.     The  Enterprise  now  fu'ed  a  shot,  in  the  direction 

VOL.  I.  V^ 


I  i;." 


i  ^' 


k^VJ 


178 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1800. 


1'^ 


of  the  hnrbor,  us  a  cliullenjro  to  lior  enemy,  repenting  the  tiefmnce 
several  times,  hut  always  without  ettrct.  'J'he  schooiu-r  remained  in 
the  otKnjr,  until  it  was  loo  dark  to  see  any  distanee,  when  she  bore  up 
and  ran  to  leeward  of  St.  Croix.  Here  xlie  cruiBed  a  day  or  two, 
cnpturinij  a  small  l^  'ter  of  nniniue,  that  struck  without  resistance, 
and  with  which  she  proceeded  to  St.  Kitts,  ngreeahly  to  order. 

The  F.nterprise  i '  niained  in  port  no  hjiiger  than  wu*^^  ' -'cessary  to 
fill  up  her  water,  and  store  some  provisions.  It  was  ■  <m.  as  late  03 
Mav,  and  a  day  or  two  out,  shr  fell  in  with,  and  brought  to  action,  a 
privateer  schooner,  called  la  Seine.  This  vessel  mounted  oidy  four 
"■uns  and  had  a  crew  of  .'i-l  men.  She  unidc  a  very  gallant  resistance, 
thou<;hthe  tire  of  the  Enterprise  soon  compelled  her  to  submit.  So 
desperate  was  the  resistance  of  the  Frenchman,  notvithstanding,  and 
so  destructive  the  fire  of  the  American,  that  la  Seine  sufl'ered  a  loss 
of  24  men,  in  killed  and  wounded,  besides  being  cut  to  pieces  in  licr 
sails  and  rigging.  Nor  did  the  Enterprise  escape  altogether  unin- 
jured. She  had  several  men  wounded,  and  sustained  some  damage, 
rhonirh  not  enough  to  take  her  into  port.  La  Seine  wuii  sent  to 
St.  Kitts. 

A  fortnight  after  this  encounter,  the  Enterprise,  which  had 
gone  to  leeward  of  Cuadaloupe,  made  and  chased  nnotner  of  the 
enemy's  privateers.  This  vessel  proved  to  be  la  Citoyenne,  6,  with 
.57  men.  This  schooner  also  held  out  to  the  last,  fighting  so  long 
as  she  had  a  ray  of  hope.  ^Vl^ell  she  struck  it  was  found  that  la 
Citoyenne  had  4  killed  and  10  wounded.  In  this  action,  the  Enter- 
prise lost  a  marine,  and  had  two  or  three  men  wounded.  In  both 
of  the  two  last  actions  her  loss  was  I  killed  and  7  wounded.  The  man- 
ner in  whielt  ti-cse  two  privateers  were  fought  was  highly  creditable 
to  their  coniai.ijiviers,  neither  yielding  so  long  as  there  was  the  least 
chance  of  •^  acess.     The  Citoyeime  was  also  sent  to  St.  Kitts. 

After  criii^^iuj;  in  the  vicinity  of  Porto  Rico  for  a  short  time,  the 
Enterprise  followed  her  two  \)rm\s  into  port.  As  soon  as  refitted, 
she  went  out,  again,  passing  between  Antigua  and  Desirade,  where 
she  fell  in  with  the  verv  three  masted  luirjrer  that  had  given  her  the 
challenge  at  St.  Thomas.  Lt.  Com.  Shaw  recognised  the  vessel  at 
once,  and  closed  in  expectation  of  a  warm  action,  but,  after  receiving 
and  returning  a  fvw  shot,  the  lugger  struck.  This  lugger  had  not  as 
large  a  crew  as  had  been  reported,  but  she  had  a  good  many  passen- 
gers on  board  her,  and  amongothers  a  general  officer  belonging  to  the 
French  army.  Carrying  his  prize  into  St.  Kitts,  Lt.  Com.  Shaw, 
who  had  occasion  for  some  hostages,  to  save  the  lives  of  two  Ameri- 
cans who  were  in  tlie  hands  of  the  enemy,  put  the  general  and  a 
captain  who  was  with  liim,  in  close  confinement,  in  that  character. 
This  measure  eflTected  the  object,  the  general  going  himself  on  parole 
to  Cuada'loupc,  returning  by  the  end  of  the  month  with  the  prisoners 
liberated. 

The  Enterpri.se  seldom  lay  long  at  her  anchors.  Without  waiting 
for  the  determination  of  the  aflliir  of  the  hostages,  Lt.  Com.  Shaw 
took  her  to  sea^  again,  as  soon  as  re.'idy,  going  off  and  to  leeward  of 
fluadaloupe.     Here  she  fell  in  with  another  French  privateer,  the 


gave  V 
which 
Frene 
to  asee 
than  ot 
cd  his 
sails,  M 
The  s,i 
two  ve 
in  the 
the  Am 
so  fin-  i! 
when  t 
Amerie 
getluT. 
kept  ort 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


179 


"g 

lUV 

of 
[he 


-asion,  they  liad  met  with  a 
tiR.     She  was  a  hrijjf  called 
ins,  with  a  crow  of  sevciity- 
'''•  rather  than  actuully  in- 
much  damage  to  hoth 
id  her  cummaiidcr  had 


vessclit  crossing  eacii  other  on  opposite  tacks,  the  Enterprise  to  lee- 
ward. No  iiooncr  did  the  vessels  exchange  hroadsides,  than  Lt. 
Com.  Shaw  put  his  helm  down,  and  came  round  directly  in  the 
wake  of  his  opponent.  This  nianu-tivre,  which  was  executed  in  the 
smoke,  was  so  nij)idly  ellected  that  the  Enterprise  got  nearly  a  com- 
plete raking  hroadside  nt  her  enemy,  (bur  of  her  six  guns  having 
discharg«'d  into  the  encnjy's  stern.  As  his  schooner  worked  b<'auli- 
lully,  Lt.  Com.  Shaw  let  her  come  (piite  round,  on  the  other  tack, 
when  ho  ran  his  adversary  nhourd,  <>n  his  W'uther  quarter,  [)assing 
into  him  and  taking  possession  without  further  resistance.  As  the 
Enterprise  closed,  one  of  her  remaining  guns  was  fired,  making 
eleven  in  all  that  were  disclmrged  in  the    mnliat. 

The  Americans  knew  that,  ontli'^  « 
privateer  of  much  celehrity  on  th<  -< 
rAigU',and  she  had  an  armamen' 
eight  men,  a  force  that  rendered  li 
ferior  to  themselves.  This  vess< 
the  Vinerieun  and  the  English  coi, 
a  high  reputation  for  spirit  and  enitipri  e.  The  easy  manner  in 
which  she  was  carried,  therefore,  at  first  excited  some  wonder  among 
the  captors,  hut  it  was  soon  explained  by  the  condition  of  their  prize. 
In  this  short,  hut  handsome  nfiair,  I'Aigle  had  3  killed  and  9  wounded. 
Among  the  former  was  her  first  lieutenant,  through  whom  a  six-pound 
shot  had  passed.  The  commander  and  second  lieutenant  were  hoth 
seriously  wounded;  circumstances  that  explain  the  reason  why  the 
crew  deserted  their  quarters  as  the  Americatis  boarded.  The  En- 
terprise had  3  men  w»>unded.  The  prize  was  sent  into  St.  Kitts,  and 
the  schooner  continued  to  cruise. 

In  July,  the  Enterprise  had  an  opportunity  of  still  further  distin- 
guishing herself.  While  cruising  to  leeward  she  made  a  large  pri- 
vateer brig,  just  at  evening,  near  which  she  remained  during  the 
night.  In  tli<'  morning  the  stranger  was  sweeping  towards  the 
s<'hooner,  in  a  calm.  The  Frenchman  was  allowed  to  approach, 
until  the  Enterprise  got  the  sea  breeze,  when  she  set  every  thing  and 
gav«>  chase.  This  sudden  movement  gave  the  alarm  to  the  brig, 
which  made  sail,  and  both  vessels  ran  oft*,  under  studding-sails.  The 
Frenchman  did  not  aefually  run  away, though  he  kept  off,  with  aAvish 
to  ascertain  the  character  of  his  foe.  Believing  himself  faster  on, 
than  oft',  th(^  wind, the  privateersman  gradually  hauled  up  and  board- 
ed his  starboard  tacks,  without  wailing  to  haul  down  his  studding- 
sails,  which  was  not  done  until  his  vessel  was  close  by  the  wind. 
The  suddenness  of  this  evolution,  and  the  previous  positions  of  the 
two  vessels,  brought  the  Enterprise  right  iistern,  when  she  hauled  up 
in  the  wake  of  the  enemy.  In  this  maimer  the  chase  continued,  until 
the  Americati  schooner,  which  was  an  exceedingly  fast  vessel,  had 
so  far  jrnined  on  the  privateer,  as  to  come  within  reach  of  musketry, 
when  the  rreuch  opened  a  smart  fire  with  small  arni-^.  The 
Americans  returned  this  tire,  until  the  vessels  were  quite  near  to- 
getluT.  one  directly  in  the  wake  of  the  other,  when  Lt.  Com.  Shaw 
keptort'to  draw  more  upon  his  enemy's  beam.     In  doing  so  he  re- 


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NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1800. 


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ceived  the  brig's  broadside,  when  a  sharp  conflict  was  coinmenccd, 
and  maintained  for  twenty  minutes,  within  pistol-shot,  both  vessels 
running  free  again.  At  the  end  of  this  period,  the  privateer  had  got 
so  much  the  worst  of  it,  that  he  attempted  to  escape,  by  hauHng  close 
by  the  wind,  making  sail  and  tacking.  In  endeavouring  to  come 
round  in  pursuit,  the  Entei-prise  missed  stays.  Trimming  his  sails 
anew,  Lt.  Com.  Shaw  waited  until  he  had  gathered  suflicient  way, 
when  he  got  round  on  the  same  tack  with  his  enemy.  As  soon  as 
he  could  again  get  along  side,  which  was  not  long,  the  action  was 
renewed.  Just  at  this  moment,  and  when  men  were  aloft  endeav- 
ouring to  secure  the  spar,  a  flaw  struck  the  brig  and  carried  nway 
her  fore-top-mast.  As  the  privateer  had  put  his  helm  up  in  the 
squall,  he  ran  away  from  his  wreck ;  while  the  Enterprise,  keeping 
away  in  chase  came  directly  upon  it.  Lt.  Com.  Shaw,  who  was 
now  certain  of  his  prize,  rounded-to,  lowered  a  boat,  and  saved  several 
of  the  enemy  who  had  gone  over  with  the  spar.  No  sooner  was  this 
done,  than  the  schooner  filled,  and  Tanging  up  once  more  abeam  of 
the  privateer  the  latter  struck. 

On  this  occasion,  the  Enterprise  captured  a  vessel  materially  her 
superior  in  force.  Her  prize  was  le  Flambeau,  a  cruiser  of  still 
greater  renown  than  I'Aigle,  and  with  a  commander  of  equal  repu- 
tation. Le  Flambeau  mounted  12  guns,  the  same  in  number  as 
those  of  her  conqueror ;  but  they  were  French  nines,  and  she  had 
110  men  on  board  her.  In  this  action,  the  Enterprise  had  rather 
more  men  than  usual,  mustering  a  crew  of  83  souls,  all  told,  the  day 
of  the  fight.  Le  Flambeau  had  suffered  severely,  having  40  killed 
and  wounded,  while  the  Enterprise  had  10. 

Lt.  Com.  Shaw  carried  his  prize  to  St.  Kitts,  and,  when  con- 
demned, her  proceeds  were  given  altogether  to  his  own  vessel,  us 
having  been  captured  by  a  cruiser  of  inferior  force.  There  is  no 
question  this  was  one  of  the  handsomest  exploits  of  the  war.  Though 
it  went  to  prove  the  great  advantage  that  a  public  armed  vessel  so 
generally  enjoys  over  one  that  is  private. 

In  August  the  Enterprise,  then  cruising  in  the  Antigua  passage 
chased  and  captured  another  of  the  enemy's  privateers,  called  la 
Pauline,  of  6  guns  and  forty  men.  Asia  Pauline  made  no  resistance, 
no  one  was  hurt. 

A  month  later,  while  still  cruising  on  the  same  ground,  this  sin- 
gularly fortunate  schooner,  after  a  short  running  fight  took  a  letter 
of  marque  of  7  guns,  and  45  men,  called  laGuadaloup6enne.  On 
board  this  vessel  was  found  the  same  general  officer  who  had  been 
taken  in  the  lugger,  and  exchanged  at  the  time  of  the  release  of  the 
Americans,  for  whose  safety  he  had  been  imprisoned  as  a  hostage. 

Ill  health  now  compelled  Lt.  Com.  Shaw  to  relinquish  his  vessel, 
which  was  given  to  Lt.  Com.  Stewart,  the  former  officer  returning 
home  in  the  Patapsco,  Capt.  Geddes,  accompanied  by  his  surgeon. 
Although  Lt.  Com.  Shaw  was  not  immediately  promoted,  there  is  no 
question  that  the  services  just  recorded  were  the  means  of  his  being 
retained  in  the  service,  on  the  subsequent  reduction  of  the  navy,  and 
of  his  getting  a  high  place  on  the  list  of  officers  of  his  OM'n  rank. 


ssngc 
ad  la 


inue, 


sin- 

letter 

On 

I  been 

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rning 

hroon. 

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ind 
rank. 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


181 


Such  was  the  estimate  of  his  conduct,  that  he  had  been  told  to  pre- 
pare himself  to  assume  the  charge  of  le  Berceau  26,  which  would 
have  been  a  capital  command.  Events,  however,  occurred  to  defeat 
this  arrangement. 

Lieutenant  Shaw  while  in  command  of  this  schooner,  recaptured 
eleven  American  vessels,  besides  taking  those  just  mentioned,  in  a 
cruise  of  only  eight  months.  It  was  a  proof  of  the  greater  efficiency 
of  this  description  of  vessel  than  any  other,  in  a  warfare  of  such  a 
nature,  that  the  Enterprise,  a  schooner  of  only  165  tons,  carrying  an 
armament  of  12  light  guns,  and  with  a  crew  that  varied  from  60  to 
83  men,  destroyed  more  of  the  enemy's  privateers,  and  afforded  as 
much  protection  to  the  trade  of  the  country,  as  any  frigate  employed 
in  the  war.  It  would  seem  to  be  certain,  indeed,  that  this  cruise  of 
the  Enterprise  was  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  useful  ever  made 
under  the  American  flag. 

In  March,  the  Boston  28,  Captain  Little,  being  near  the  Point  of 
St.  Marks,  having  a  merchant  brig  in  tow,  on  her  way  to  Port-au- 
Prince,  nine  barges  were  discovered  pulling  towards  the  vessels,  com- 
ing from  the  small  island  of  Gonaives,  with  every  appearance  of  hos- 
tile intentions.  The  barges  were  large,  as  usual,  pulled  20  oars,  and 
contained  from  30  to  40  men  each.  As  soon  as  their  characters  were 
properly  made  out,  the  guns  of  the  Boston  were  housed,  and  the  ship 


was  otherwise  disjruised. 


This  stratagem 


succeeded  so  far  as  to 


draw  the  barges  within  gun-shot ;  but  discovering  their  mistake 
before  they  got  as  near  as  could  be  wished,  they  turned  and  began  to 
retreat.  The  Boston  now  cast  off  her  tow,  made  sail  in  chase,  ran 
out  her  guns,  and  opened  her  fire.  For  two  hours,  she  was  enabled 
to  keep  some  of  the  barges  within  reach  of  her  shot,  and  three  of 
them,  with  all  theircrews,  were  sunk.  The  remainder  did  not  escape 
without  receiving  more  or  less  injury. 

After  this  punishment  of  the  picaroons,  which  were  often  guilty  of 
the  grossest  excesses,  the  Boston,  having  been  home  to  refit,  was 
directed  to  cruise  a  short  time,  previously  to  going  on  the  Guadaloupe 
station  again,  between  the  American  coast andthe  Westlndia  islands. 
While  in  the  discharge  of  this  duty,  November,  1800,  in  lat.  22°  50' 
N.,  and  long.  51°  W.,  she  made  a  French  cruiser,  which,  instead  of 
avoiding  her,  evidently  sought  an  encounter.  Both  parties  being 
willing,  the  ships  were  soon  in  close  action,  when,  after  a  plain, 
hard-fought  combat  of  two  hours,  the  enemy  struck.  The  prize 
proved  to  be  the  French  corvette  le  Berceau,  Captain  Senes,  mount- 
ing 21  guns,  and  with  a  crew  a  little  exceeding  200  men.  The 
Berceau  was  much  cut  up,  and  shortly  after  the  action,  her  fore  and 
mnin-masts  went.  Her  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  never  ascer- 
tained, but  from  the  number  of  the  latter  found  in  her,  it  was  probably 
between  30  and  40  men.  Amonjj  the  former  were  her  first  lieuten- 
ant,  master,  boatswain,  and  gunner.  The  Boston  mounted  eight 
more  light  guns  than  the  Berceau,  and  had  about  an  equal  number 
of  men.  She  hud  4  killed  and  11  wounded.  Among  the  latter  was 
her  purser,  Mr.  Young,  who  died  of  his  injuries.  The  Berceau  was 
a  singularly  fine  vessel  of  her  class,  and  had  the  reputation  of  being 


' '  at 


I 


IV; 


t  ' 


182 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1800. 


m 


I'l 


one  of  the  fastest  ships  in  the  French  marine.  Like  the  combat  be- 
tween the  Constellation  and  I'Insurgente,  the  superiority  of  force  was 
certainly  in  favour  of  the  American  ship,  on  this  occasion,  but  the 
execution  was  every  way  in  proportion  to  the  diflerence. 

I'lie  year  1800  was  actively  employed  on  both  sides  in  the  West 
Indies,  for  while  the  force  of  the  French  in  vessels  of  war  seemed  to 
decrease,  as  those  of  England  and  America  increased,  the  privateers 
still  abounded.  A  great  many  American  merchantmen  were  cap- 
tured, and  the  recaptures  also  amounted  to  a  number  that  it  is  now 
difficult  to  ascertain,  but  which  is  known  to  have  been  large.  Most 
of  the  privateers  were  small  schooners,  filled  with  men,  sufficient  to 
subdue  a  letter  of  marque  by  boarding ;  but,  as  they  offered  no  resist- 
ance to  any  of  the  cruisers  except  the  smallest,  a  brief  catalogue  of 
the  prizes  taken  by  the  different  large  vessels,  will  at  once  give  an 
idea  of  the  nature  of  the  service  that  was  performed  by  the  West  India 
squadrons  during  this  year.  The  Baltimore  20,  Captain  Cowper, 
took  la  Brilliante  Jeunesse  12,  with  a  crew  of  62  men,  and  a  vessel 
whose  name  is  not  known  ;  the  Merrinmck  24,  Captain  Brown,  the 
Phenix  14,  with  128  men  ;  the  Connecticut  24,  Captain  Tryon,  le 
Pi^ge  2,  with  50  men,l'Unit6  1,  with  50  men,  and  le  Chou  Chou  ; 
the  Boston  28,  Captain  Little,  la  Fortune,  I'Heureux,  and  an  open 
boat ;  Pickering  14,  Captain  Hillar,  la  Voltigeuse  10,  with  60  men, 
the  Fly,  and  I'Active  12,  with  60  men  ;  Boston  28,  in  company  with 
different  vessels,  the  Flying  Fish,  la  Gourde,  le  Pelican,  and  I'Espoir; 
Herald  18  and  Augusta  14,  la  Mutine  6,  with  60  men  ;  John  Adams 
28,  Captain  Cross,  le  Jason,  with  50  men,  la  Decade  ;  the  Trumbull 
24,  Captain  Jewett,  la  Peggie,  la  Vengeance  10  and  la  TuUie  ;  En- 
terprise 12,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Sterrett,  I'Amour  de  la  Patrie 
6,  with  72  men  ;  the  Patapsco  18,  Captain  Geddes,  la  Dorade  6, 
with  46  men  ;  the  Adams  28,  Captain  Morris,  I'Heureuse  Rencontre 
4,  with  50  men,  le  Gambeau,  4  swivels  and  16  men,  la  Renomm^e, 
the  Dove,  and  le  MassenaO,  with  49  men.  Several  of  tl"  '  'rates 
also  made  prizes  of  different  small  privateers,  barges,  and  '•  -  and 
many  vessels  were  chased  on  sjiore,  and  either  destroyed  by  hoats  or 
were  bilged  in  striking.  The  privateers  taken  and  brought  into  port, 
during  the  years  1798,  1799,  and  1800,  amounted  in  all  to  rather 
more  than  fifty  sail.  To  these  must  be  added  several  letters  of  mar- 
que. But  few  merchant  ships  were  taken,  the  French  venturing  but 
little  on  the  ocean,  except  in  fast-sailing  armed  vessels.  Still,  some 
valuable  prizes  of  this  nature  were  made,  and  several  ships  of  this 
class  were  driven  ashore  among  the  islands. 

The  constant  changes  that  occurred  among  the  commanders  of 
the  different  vessels,  render  it  difficult  to  give  clear  accounts  of  the 
movements  of  either.  These  changes  were  owing  to  the  rapidity 
and  irregularities  of  the  promotions  in  an  infant  service,  oflicers  who 
went  out  at  the  commencement  of  the  season  lieutenants,  in  many 
instances,  returning  home  captains,  at  its  close.  In  short,  the  offi- 
cers, like  the  crews,  were  constantly  ])assing  from  vessel  to  vessel, 
several  serving  in  two  or  three  ships  in  us  many  years. 

The  Experiment  12,  made  her  first  cruise  under  the  command  of 


of 
the 
idity 
who 
liiny 
offi- 
sscl, 

dof 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


183 


Lieutenant  Commandant  Malcy,  and  was  much  employed  in  con- 
voying through  the  narrow  passages,  where  the  vessels  were  exposed 
to  attacks  from  large  barges  manned  from  the  shores.  On  the  1st  of 
January,  1800,  this  schooner  was  becalmed  in  the  Bight  of  Leogane, 
with  several  sail  of  American  merchantmen  in  company  and  under 
convoy.  While  the  little  fleet  lay  in  this  helpless  condition,  a  good 
deal  scattered,  ten  of  the  barges  mentioned,  tilled  with  negroes  and 
mulattoes,  came  out  against  it.  The  barges  contained  from  30  to 
40  men  each,  who  were  armed  with  muskets,  cutlasses,  and  pikes, 
and  in  some  of  the  boats  were  light  guns  and  swivels.  As  the  Ex- 
periment Avas  partially  disguised,  the  enemy  came  within  reach  of  her 
grape  before  the  assault  was  made,  when  Lieutenant  Commandant 
Maley  ran  out  his  guns  and  opened  his  fire.  This  was  the  com- 
mencement of  a  long  conflict,  in  which  the  barges  were  beaten  off. 
It  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  Experiment,  however,  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  seizing  two  of  her  convoy,  which  had  drifted  to  such  a 
distance  as  to  be  beyond  protection.  A  third  vessel  was  also  boarded, 
but  from  her  the  brigands  were  driven  by  grape,  though  not  until  they 
had  murdered  her  master  and  plundered  the  cabin. 

The  barges  went  twice  to  the  shore,  landed  their  killed  and  wound- 
ed, and  took  on  board  reinforcements  of  men.  The  second  attack 
they  made  was  directed  especially  at  the  Experiment,  there  being 
no  less  than  three  divisions  of  the  enemy,  each  of  which  contained 
three  heavy  barges.  But,  after  a  protracted  engagement,  which, 
with  the  intermissions,  lasted  seven  hours,  the  enemy  abandoned  fur- 
ther designs  on  this  convoy,  and  retreated  in  disorder.  The  Exper- 
iment endeavoured  to  follow,  by  means  of  her  sweeps,  but  finding 
that  some  of  the  more  distant  of  the  barges  threatened  two  of  her 
convoy,  that  had  drifted  out  of  gun-shot,  she  was  obliged  to  give  up 
the  chase. 

In  this  arduous  and  protracted  engagement  the  Experiment  was 
fought  with  spirit,  and  handled  with  skill.  The  total  absence  of 
wind  gave  the  enemy  every  advantage  ;  but  notwithstanding  their 
vast  superiority  in  numbers,  they  did  not  dare  to  close.  Two  of  the 
barges  were  sunk,  and  their  loss  in  killed  and  wounded  was  known 
to  have  been  heavy,  while  the  Experiment  had  but  two  wounded,  one 
of  whom  was  Lieutenant  David  Porter. 

Shortly  after  this  affair,  the  command  of  the  Experiment  was  given 
to  Lieutenant  Charles  Stewart,  late  of  the  United  States  44.  Not 
long  after  he  had  got  upon  his  station,  this  officer  fell  in  with,  and 
took,  after  a  slight  resistance,  the  French  privateer  les  Deux  Amis, 
of  8  guns,  and  between  40  and  50  men.    The  Deux  Amis  was  sent  in. 

About  a  month  after  this  occurrence,  while  cruising  on  her  station, 
the  Experiment  made  two  sail,  which  had  the  appearance  of  enemy's 
cruisers.  The  Frenchmen  were  a  brig  of  18  guns,  and  a  three- 
masted  schooner  of  14,  and  they  gave  chase  to  the  American.  Lieu- 
tenant Commandant  Stewart,  having  soon  satisfied  himself  of  the 
superior  sailing  of  his  own  vessel,  manoeuvred  in  a  way  to  separate 
the  enemy,  and  to  keep  them  at  a  distance  until  after  dark.  At 
length,  finding  that  the  Frenchmen  had  given  up  the  chase,  and  that 


:-    - 
I 


i    I 


184 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1800. 


it 

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1 

a^i 

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;■ 

*^!^ 

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f, 

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the  brig  was  about  a  league  abeail  of  the  schooner,  he  cleared  for 
action,  closed  with  the  latter,  by  running  upon  her  weather  ({uarter, 
and  gave  her  a  broadside.  The  attiick  was  so  vigorous  anti  close, 
that  the  enemy  struck  in  a  few  minutes.  Throwing  his  first  lieuten- 
ant, Mr.  David  Porter  into  the  prize.  Lieutenant  Commandant 
Stewart  immediately  made  sail  after  the  brig;  but  she  had  gained 
so  much  ahead,  during  the  tinie  lost  with  the  schooner,  that  she  was 
soon  abandoned,  and  the  Rxperiment  returned  to  her  prize,  which 
she  carried  into  St.  Kitts.  Mr.  Stewart  probably  owed  his  success 
to  the  boldness  of  his  manaMivrcs,  as  the  brig  was  of  a  force  sufficient 
to  capture  him  in  a  few  minutes. 

The  vessel  taken  by  the  Experiment  proved  to  be  the  French 
man-of-war  schooner  la  Diane,  Lieutenant  Perradeau,  of  14  guns, 
and  about  60  men.  She  was  bound  to  France,  with  General  Rigaud 
on  board ;  and  in  addition  to  her  regular  crew,  30  invalid  soldiers 
had  been  put  in  her,  having  served  tlieir  time  in  the  islands.  Her 
commander  had  been  the  first  lieutenant  of  TLisurgente,  and  the 
prize-officer  of  the  Retaliation. 

Returning  to  her  station,  the  Experiment  now  had  a  combat  that 
was  of  a  less  agreeable  nature.  A  suspicious  sail  had  been  made  in 
the  course  of  the  day,  and  chase  was  given  until  dark.  Calculating 
the  courses  and  distances,  liieutenant  Commandant  Stewart  ordered 
the  Experiment  to  be  ke|)t  in  the  required  direction  until  midnight, 
when,  if  he  did  not  close  with  the  stranger,  he  intended  to  give  up  the 
chase.  At  that  hoiu',  the  schooner  was  hauled  by  the  wind,  accord- 
ingly ;  but,  in  a  few  minutes,  a  sail  was  seen  quite  near,  and  to  wind- 
ward. The  Experiment  went  to  <piarters,  ran  up  under  the  stranger's 
lee,  and  hailed.  Finding  the  other  vessel  indis])osed  to  give  an 
answer,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Stewart  ordered  a  gim  fired  into 
him,  which  was  returned  by  a  broadside.  A  sharp  action  now  com- 
menced, but,  it  blowing  heavily,  and  the  schooner  lying  over,  it  was 
fovmd  impossible  to  depress  the  gtins  sufficiently  to  hull  the  enemy. 
Planks  were  cut  and  placed  beneath  the  trucks  of  the  gun-carriages, 
when  the  shot  of  the  Experiment  told  with  so  much  effect,  that  Iier 
antagonist  struck.  Mr.  Porter,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Experi- 
ment, was  now  directed  to  take  jjossession  of  the  prize,  but,  on 
getting  alongside,  he  was  refused  permission  to  board.  As  soon  as 
this  was  known  in  the  schooner,  the  boat  was  directed  to  ])ull  out  of 
the  line  of  fire,  with  a  view  to  recommence  the  action,  when  the 
stranger  hailed  to  say  he  submitted. 

This  vessel  proved  to  be  a  privateer  called  the  Louisa  Uridger,  out 
of  Bermuda,  with  an  armament  of  8  nine-pounders,  and  a  crew  of 
between  40  and  50  men.  She  was  much  cut  up,  and  had  four  feet 
water  in  her  hold  when  she  surrendered.  Her  captain  was  among 
the  wotmded. 

As  soon  as  the  nature  of  this  mifortnnate  mistake  was  known, 
every  aid  was  aftonh'd  the  privateer,  th(!  Experiment  lying  by  her  all 
next  day,  to  assist  in  repairing  her  damages.  The  Ex|)eriment 
received  a  good  deal  of  injury  in  her  rigging,  and  had  one  man  killed, 
iuu\  a  bov  wounded. 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


185 


kit 

}f 
let 


krr 

fa 


111 

lit 


Active  ncgotintions  Imd  commenced,  and  in  the  nutumn  of  1800 
the  hopes  of  pence  became  so  strong,  that  the  eflbrts  to  increase  the 
navy  were  sensibly  relaxed,  and  the  sailing  of  many  ships,  that  had 
been  intended  for  distant  stations  was  suspended.  In  May  of  this 
year,  however,  the  George  Washington  24,*  Captain  Jiainbridge, 
was  ordered  to  sail  with  tribnte  to  the  Dey  of  Algiers.  We  now  look 
back  with  wonder  at  the  fact,  that  a  maritime  people,  like  those  of 
the  United  States,  should  consent  to  meet  the  unjust  demands  of  a 
power  as  insignificant  as  that  of  Algiers,  with  any  other  answer  than 
a  close  blockade,  and  a  vigorous  war.  No  better  school  for  the  edu- 
cation of  an  efficient  corps  of  officers  could  have  been  desired,  than 
a  contest  with  all  Barbary,  should  the  latter  invite  it,  nor  Avould  the 
expense  '  ave  greatly  exceeded  that  connected  with  the  support  of 
the  small  naval  force,  that  nearly  all  parties  now  appeared  to  admit 
was  indispensable  to  the  country.  Opinion  had  probably  as  much 
connexion  with  this  want  of  spirit,  as  expediency  or  policy,  for  it 
would  be  easy  to  show,  not  only  in  this  but  in  all  other  cases,  that 
there  is  no  more  certain  means  for  a  nation  to  invite  aggressions, 
than  by  making  undue  concessions,  or  no  surer  method  of  obtaining 
justice  than  by  insisting  on  its  rights.  The  great  maritime  nations 
of  Europe,  with  England  at  their  head,  influenced  by  motives  pecu- 
liarly their  own,  had  long  been  in  the  practice  of  bribing  the  Barbary 
Stales  to  respect  the  laws  of  nations,  and  it  was  perhaps  too  soon  to 
expect  that  America,  a  cotintry  that  had  so  recently  been  a  colony, 
should  step  boldly  out  of  the  circle  of  its  habits,  and  set  the  first  ex- 
ample of  self-respect  and  wisdom.  It  was  reserved  for  that  little 
marine,  which  was  just  struggling  into  existence,  under  all  the  un- 
favourable circumstances  of  a  hurried  organisation,  defective  vessels, 
a  want  of  arsenals,  docks,  and  system,  to  bring  the  nation  up  to  the 
level  of  its  own  manliness  and  independence,  at  a  later  day,  and  to 
teach  the  true  policy  of  the  country  to  those  whose  duty  it  was  to 
direct  it. 

The  George  Washington  arrived  in  the  port  of  Algiers  in  Septem- 
ber, and  feeling  that  he  had  come  on  a  duty  that,  at  least,  entitled 
him  to  the  hospitalities  of  the  Dey,  Captain  Bainbridge  ran  in  and 
anchored  under  the  mole.  As  soon  as  the  tribute,  or  presents,  which- 
ever it  may  suit  the  tone  of  the  diplomacy  to  term  them,  were  put  into 
the  hands  of  the  consul,  a  request  was  made  to  Captain  Bainbridge 
to  place  his  ship  at  the  disposal  of  the  Dey,  with  a  sole  view  to  the 
convenience  and  policy  of  that  prince.  It  appears  that  the  Sultan 
had  taken  offence  with  the  regency  of  Algiers,  on  account  of  a  treaty 
it  had  lately  concluded  with  France,  a  power  with  which  the  Ottoman 

*  In  giving  the  ratesof  vessels,  except  in  flagrant  instances,  such  as  those  in  which  the 
Clicsapcake  and  Philadelphia  arc  called  forty-fours,  and  the  Adams,  ,Iohn  Adams,  and 
Boston  ihirty-twos,  we  follow  the  irregular  rule  which  appears  to  have  heeii  laid  down  in 
the  Rcrvice  sit  the  time.  The  George  Washington  was  much  nearer  a  thirty-two  in  size, 
thanmostof  the  twenty -eights  of  the  navy,  though  in  the  otlicial  reports  she  is  callc<l  a 
twenty-four.  The  tonnage  of  this  ship  was  fi'.J4  tons,  while  that  of  the  Boston  was  only 
S.IO.  Sliohad  been  an  Indiaman,  and  when  sold  out  of  service,  in  1  SOU,  returned  to  her 
old  employment.  The  proper  rate  of  this  ship  would  have  made  her  nearer  a  twenty- 
eight,  than  any  thing  else.  Her  last  service  was  to  carry  tribute  to  the  Mediterranean, 
under  Lieutenant  Commandant  Shaw. 


186 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1800. 


If 

t:  * 


Poite  was  then  at  war,  and  his  anger  was  to  be  deprecated  by  a 
timely  application  of  presents.  The  gooil  offices  of  Captain  Bain* 
bridge  were  now  solicited  in  conveying  these  otlerings,  with  a  suitable 
agent,  to  Constantinople.  As  soon  as  apprised  of  his  wish,  Captain 
Buinbridge  sought  an  audience  with  the  Dcy^  and  having  obtained 
one,  he  expressed  his  regret  at  not  being  able  to  comply  with  his 
recpiest,  as  it  would  be  disregarding  the  orders  of  his  superiors  at 
home.  The  Dey  now  gave  his  guest  to  understand  that  both  he  and 
his  ship  were  in  his  power,  and  >iis  request  was  put  more  in  the  shape 
of  a  demand.  A  long  and  spirited  altercation  ensued,  until,  influ- 
enced by  the  representations  of  the  consul,  Mr.  O'Brien,  the  certainty 
that  his  ship  would  be  otherwise  sei/'id  and  sent  by  force,  the  appre- 
hension of  a  war,  and  the  knowled>^c  that  near  two  hundred  sail  of 
merchantmen  were  exposed  in  those  seas,  Captain  Bainbridge  en- 
tered into  stipulations  on  the  subject.  He  consented  to  carry  the 
agent  and  presents  of  Algiers,  on  condition  that  pence  should  be 
maintained,  that  the  Dey  should  deem  the  act  one  of  friendly  con- 
cession on  the  part  of  the  United  States,  and  not  one  of  right,  and  that, 
on  his  return  from  Constantinople,  no  further  demands  should  be 
preferred. 

When  the  ship  was  about  to  sail  from  Algiers  a  new  difficulty 
arose  on  the  subject  of  the  flag ;  the  Dey  insisting  that  his  own  should 
be  hoisted  at  the  main,  while  that  of  the  United  States  should  be 
shown  forward.  In  maintaining  this  claim,  he  affirmed  that  it  was 
a  compliment  always  paid  him  by  the  English,  French,  and  Spanish 
captains,  who  had  been  employed  on  similar  service  in  his  behalf. 
After  a  strong  remonstrance,  Captain  Bainbridge  yielded  in  appear- 
ance, but  as  he  refused  to  make  any  pledges  on  the  subject,  as  soon 
as  he  was  beyond  the  reach  of  the  guns  of  the  works,  beset  his  own 
ensign  as  usual.  Under  these  circumstances  the  George  Washing- 
ton sailed. 

At  this  distance  of  time  from  the  event,  a  dispassionate  opinion 
may  perhaps  be  formed  concerning  the  propriety  of  the  course  pur- 
sued by  the  officer  in  command  of  the  George  Washington.  On  the 
one  hand  was  the  war  with  France,  which  might  have  rendered  the 
managementofa  war  with  Algiers  more  difficult  than  common,  and 
the  probability  that  the  latter  would  ensue  in  the  event  of  a  refusal. 
But,  if  France  was  at  war  with  America,  she  was  also  at  war  with 
England,  and  the  appearance  of  the  George  Washington  in  the 
Mediterranean  was  a  proof  that  cruisers  might  be  employed  in  that 
sea,  altliongj)  the  nation  was  without  ports,  or  arsenals.  As  opposed 
to  the  general  hazards  of  war,  and  the  particular  risks  incurred  by  the 
crew  of  the  George  Washington,  were  those  common  and  enduring 
principles  of  honour  and  rigjit,  by  maintaining  which,  nations,  in  the 
end,  assert  their  claims  in  the  promptest,  cheapest,  and  most  efficient 
manner.  It  is  the  peculiar  province  of  the  officers  and  men  of  a  ves- 
sel of  war  to  incur  risks  e(]ually  of  life  and  liberty,  as  on  all  other 
occasions,  no  man  manifested  more  of  the  true  spirit,  in  this  respect, 
than  Captain  Bainl)ridge,  the  consideration  of  his  own  ])ecnliar  dan- 
ger, or  that  of  his  crew,  probably  had  no  influence  on  his  decision. 


by 

sen. 

res 

our 

by 

one 

kinr 


ness 
sear 
a  pr\ 
hav< 


witli 
treatJ 
wippd 
Euro! 
and  t| 


the 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


187 


The  true  question  is,  whether  an  officer  in  his  situation  ought  to 
have  taken  the  rcspon.sibihty  of  producin*^  a  war  by  a  refusul  tu  com- 
ply with  the  (lenmnd  uf  the  Dcy,  or  whetiier  his  duty  pointed  out  the 
course  pursued  by  Captain  Bainbridge.  No  one  can  hesitate  about 
saying  that  the  first  should  be  the  decision  of  a  commander  of  a  ves- 
sel of  war,  in  our  own  time.  But  Captain  Bainbridge  was  not  before 
Algiers  in  an  age  when  America  was  as  ready  as  she  is  to-day  to 
assert  all  those  great  principles  of  right  which  nations  must  maintain 
with  their  blood  and  treasure,  if  they  are  to  be  maintained  at  ail.  He 
had  himself  just  been  employed  in  transporting  tribute  to  Algiers, 
under  a  solemn  law  of  his  country,  and  it  would  have  been  a  violent 
presumption  indeed,  to  suppose  that  a  government,  which  had  so  far 
neglected  the  just  feelings  of  national  pride,  and  the  first  and  simplest 
principles  of  policy,  as  to  expend  in  tribute  the  money  that  would 
nearly,  if  not  quite,  extort  justice  by  force,  would  look  with  favour  on 
an  act  that  should  produce  a  war,  on  a  naked  point  of  honour.  We 
dislike  the  decision  of  Captain  Bainbridge,  while  we  distinctly  see, 
that  in  requiring  him  to  have  acted  otherwise,  we  require  him  to  have 
been  in  advance  of  the  opinion  of  his  day,  and  of  the  policy  of  his 
government.* 

It  is  understood  that  Captain  Bainbridge  was  much  influenced  by 
the  advice  and  opinions  of  Mr.  O^Brien,  the  consul.  This  gentleman 
had  been  one  of  the  first  prisoners  taken  by  Algiers  in  1785,  and  he 
had  passed  many  weary  years  in  captivity,  almost  abandoned  by 
hope,  and  apparently,  though  not  really,  forgotten  by  his  country. 
He  had  probably  little  faith  in  the  existence  of  that  patriotism  which 
is  ready  to  sacrifice  immediate  interest  to  future  good,  and  saw  in 
perspective  a  piratical  warfare,  and  captivities  like  his  own,  which, 
unrelieved  by  any  feelings  of  humanity,  would  be  nearly  allied  to 
despair.  This  gentleman  is  not  to  be  censured  ;  for  bitter  experi- 
ence had  tauirht  him  how  little  is  the  care  taken  of  individual  ri<;hts, 
by  popular  governments,  when  the  evil  does  not  present  itself  to  the 
senses  of  bodies  of  men,  and  how  strong  is  the  desire  to  shrink  from 
responsibility  in  those  who  are  subject  to  their  judgment  and  clam- 
This  is  the  weak  side  of  the  polity,  and  were  it  not  redeemed 


our. 

by  so  much  that  is  superior  to  the  effects  of  all  other  systems,  it  is 
one  that  would  totally  unfit  a  nation  to  maintain  the  respec  c "'  man- 
kind. Mr.  O'Brien,  too,  had  been  educated  as  a  ship-mastt  i',  and 
probably  reasoned  more  like  the  agent  of  a  commercial  house,  than 
the  agent  of  a  government  that  wanted  none  of  the  elements  of  great- 
ness but  the  will.  That  neither  he  nor  Captain  Bainbridge,  frank 
seamen,  discovered  much  of  the  finesse  of  diplomacy,  is  evident ;  for 
a  practised  negotiator,  detecting  the  necessity  of  submission,  would 
have  anticipated  the  final  demand,  and  averted  the  more  disagreea- 

*  It  has  been  conjectared  that  Captain  Bainbridge  consented  to  go  to  Constantinople, 
witli  a  view  to  show  the  American  flag  to  the  Ottoman  Porte,  and  to  open  the  way  for  a 
treaty,  and  a  trade  in  tiie  Black  Sea ;  but  we  know  of  no  evidence  of  the  truth  of  this 
eupposition.  It  ought  to  be  added,  moreover,  that  the  ships  of  the  greatest  powers  of 
Europe,  often  performed  offices  like  that  required  of  Captain  Bainbridge,  for  the  Dey, 
and  that  the  former  was  perfectly  aware  of  the  fact. 


188 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1800. 


: 


■<: 


bio  fuuturoB  of  compulHioii,  by  nppnreiitly  conceding  thut  to  solicita- 
tion, wbicb  was  finally  yieldvd  to  menace. 

Wiien  tbe  Arncriciins,  feeble,  scattered  colonists,  witbout  military 
■tores,  posts,  fortified  towns  or  nnvy,  determined  to  resist  tbe  usurpa- 
tions of  tbe  Britisb  Parliament,  tbey  were  influenced  by  tboso  lofty 
principles  of  rijjbt,  wbicb  are  certain  to  lead  to  greatness.  It  is  not 
pretetiJed  tbat  tbo  taxation  of  £n;rland  bore  beavily  on  America  in 
practice,  but  tbe  resistance  grew  out  of  the  maintenance  of  a  princi- 
ple; and  tbe  result  of  sacriticing  immediate  interests  to  tbe  true  and 
elevating  policy  of  tbe  right,  is  before  the  world.  Even  nmny  of  tbe 
well-disposed,  who  belonged  to  tbe  school  of  those  who  are  for  con- 
sulting temporary  good,  and  whose  political  wisdom  too  often  savours 
of  tbe  expedient,  thought  the  contest  premature  ;  but,  happily,  n  bet- 
ter temper  prevailed  in  tbe  country,  and  the  nation  escaped  the  risks 
of  losing  its  spirit  under  the  gradual  operation  of  usage,  as  might  have 
attended  delay.  Immediate  good  was  sacrificed  to  the  great  objects 
of  a  more  liberal  policy,  and  we  now  find  that  England,  so  far  from 
persevering  in  a  wish  to  tax  colonies  over  which  she  does  not  possess 
the  right,  even  hesitates  about  taxing  those,  which,  in  tbe  way  of 
principle,  lie  nt  her  mercy  by  conquest. 

It  was  tbe  9th  of  October,  1800,  when  tbe  George  Washington  left 
Algiers.  She  entered  tbe  Bospborus  with  a  fresh  breeze  at  the  south- 
ward, and  on  approaching  tbe  Dardanelles,  where  are  two  castles 
that  command  the  passage,  and  where  ships  are  obliged  to  exhibit 
passports  in  order  to  proceed.  Captain  Bainbridge  felt  some  embar- 
rassment as  to  tbe  course  he  ought  to  fake.  He  bad  no  firman,  bis 
country  was  scarcely  known  at  tbe  Ottoman  Porte,  and  he  might  be 
delayed  weeks,  negotiating  for  permission  to  go  up  to  the  town. 
From  this  dilemma  be  relieved  liimself  by  tbe  happy  and  prompt 
expedient  of  a  seaman.  The  castles  stand  nearly  opposite  each 
other,  on  the  European  and  Asiatic  shores,  and  guns  carrying  stone 
balls,  that  weigh,  in  some  instances,  eight  hundred  pounds,  are 
pointed  in  a  manner  to  command  tbe  channel.  These  guns,  bow- 
ever,  are  stationary  like  mortars,  and  become  nearly  useless  tbe  mo- 
ment a  ship  is  out  of  their  regulated  ranjre.  Tbe  rest  of  the  defences, 
at  that  time,  were  very  immaterial.  The  width  of  tbe  Bospborus, 
here,  a  little  exceeds  three  thousand  feet.  As  his  ship  approached 
the  castle,  Captain  Bainbridge  hauled  up  bis  courses,  clewed  up  his 
top-jjallant  sails,  and  made  tbe  usual  preparations  for  anchoring. 
When  nearly  up  with  them,  she  commenced  firing  a  salute,  which 
was  instantly  returned  from  tbe  shore,  and,  at  this  moment,  when 
the  vessel  was  partly  concealed  in  smoke,  sail  was  made,  and  before 
the  Turks  recovered  from  their  surpi:se,  being  totally  unprepared  for 
a  thing  so  unusual,  she  was  beyond  their  reach. 

Captain  Bainbridge  now  pursued  bis  way  to  Constantinople,  where 
he  arrived  as  much  unexpected  as  he  was  unannounced  and  un- 
known. Tbe  George  Washington  anchored  tbe  9tb  of  November, 
in  tbe  outer  harbour,  where  she  was  soon  visited  by  an  ofl^cer,  to 
demand  under  what  flajr  she  sailed.  The  usual  reply  was  given, 
and  tbe  officer  took  his  leave.     An  hour  or  two  afterwards  be  return- 


OCC£ 

slav^ 
Port! 

merf 

pelb 

agaij 

com  J 

betwl 

half! 

influl 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


189 


ed,  to  say  that  his  ffovcriimeiit  had  never  heard  of  sucli  a  nation  as 
the  United  States  ot  America,  and  to  re<|ue8t  some  mure  exphcit  an- 
swer.  Tiie  officer  was  now  sent  buck  with  the  infurmation  that  the 
George  Washington  belonged  to  the  "  New  World,"  which  was 
received  as  HutiHt'uctory,  the  Turkish  government  extending  to  tlie 
strangers  mucli  of  that  poHshed  hospitality  for  which  it  is  justly 
esteemed. 

The  George  Wasliington  remained  at  Constantinople  until  the 
30th  of  December,  when  she  again  sailed  for  Algiers,  which  port  she 
reached  on  the  21st  of  January,  1801.  Though  much  solicited  to 
do  so,  Captain  Buinbridge  now  refused  to  carry  his  ship  within  the 
mole,  but  kept  her  out  of  the  reach  of  the  batteries.  The  Dey  made 
anew  request  that  he  would  return  to  Constantinople  with  his  agent, 
and  though  the  old  threats  were  not  exactly  resorted  to,  the  ship  being 
beyond  his  reach,  war  was  still  held  in  perspective  as  the  alternative. 
Captain  Bainbridge,  however,  peremptorily  refused  to  put  himself 
and  ship  again  at  the  mercy  of  the  Dey. 

Having  borrowed  some  ballast,  Captain  Bainbridge  was  about  to 
have  it  landed  in  lighters,  when  the  Dey,  affecting  to  be  indignant  at 
his  want  of  confidence,  forbade  the  lightermen  to  undertake  the  Job, 
announcing  at  the  same  time,  unless  the  ballast  was  returned,  that 
he  would  declare  war.  The  consul  again  so  earnestly  entreated 
Captain  Bainbridge  to  comply,  that  the  latter,  on  receiving  a  solemn 
stipulation  that  no  more  should  be  said  on  the  subject  of  a  new  voyage 
to  Constantinople,  took  the  George  Washington  into  the  mole,  and 
landed  the  ballast,  which  consisted  of  a  number  of  old  guns. 

Captain  Bainbridge  soon  after  had  an  audience  with  the  Dey, 
when  the  latter  got  into  such  a  rage  as  to  threaten  personal  violence. 
Fortunately,  the  Capudan  Pacha  had  became  pleased  with  the 
manly  conduct  and  tine  personal  appearance  of  the  American  offi- 
cer, while  the  latter  was  at  Constantinople,  and,  at  parting,  he  hud 
given  him  a  firman  of  protection.  This  paper  was  now  presented, 
and  it  immediately  changed  the  savage  ferocity  of  a  barbarian  into 
expressions  of  friendship  and  offers  of  service.  From  that  moment 
the  tone  of  the  Dey  was  altered  ;  and  the  man,  whom  a  minute  be- 
fore he  had  threatened  with  irons,  was  converted  into  a  person  of 
influence  and  authority.  Such  was  the  effect  of  Asiatic  despotism 
and  a  ruthless  discipline. 

A  good  opportunity  now  offered  to  relieve  some  of  the  mortifica- 
tion which  Captain  Bainbridgy  nad  experienced,  by  affording  him  an 
occasion  to  be  the  instrument  of  rescuing  many  Christians  from 
slavery.  One  of  the  causes  of  quarrel  between  the  Regency  and  the 
Porte,  as  has  been  stated,  was  the  separate  peace  made  by  the  for- 
mer with  France.  To  expiate  for  that  crime,  the  Dey  had  been  com- 
pelled to  cut  down  the  flag-staff  of  the  French  consul,  to  declare  war 
against  his  country,  and  to  condemn  him  and  fifty  or  sixty  of  his 
countrymen  to  slavery.  Notwithstanding  the  war  which  still  existed 
between  America  and  France,  Captain  Bainbridge  interfered  in  be- 
half of  these  unfortunate  people,  and,  profiting  by  the  unexpected 
influence  of  his  firman,  he  obtained  a  stipulation  from  the  Dey,  that 


190 


NAVAL  IIIBTORY. 


[J801, 


all  who  could  |^ct  otitof  Iuh  dmnitiions  witliiti  eiftht-nnd-forty  lioum, 
might  po  away,  whilo  those  who  could  not,  Hhouhl  hu  Hhivct^.  No 
other  veMriel  oflerin|7,  the  (jeor^u  WaHhini^oii  wuh  employed  iu  this 
grateful  office,  and  by  p^reat  exertions  whe  went  to  son  within  the  Htip- 
uljite<l  time,  carrying  with  her  all  the  French  in  Algiers.  The  pus- 
flengerH  were  landed  at  Alicant,  and  the  t)hip  returned  home,  where 
the  conduct  of  her  commander,  throughout  these  novel  and  trying 
cireuniHtanccH,  met  with  the  fullcHt  approbation  of  tho  government, 
and  he  was  innnediately  transferred  to  a  much  finer  ship, the  Essex  33. 

While  these  events  were  taking  place  in  the  Mediterranean,  the 
negotiations  for  peace  with  Franco  had  been  going  on  at  Paris,  and 
a  treaty  to  that  effect  was  ratified  by  the  Senate  on  tho  3d  of  Feb- 
ruary, IHOl.  All  the  necessary  forms  having  been  complied  with  on 
both  sides,  the  Herald  18,  Captain  Uussel,  was  sent  to  the  West 
Indies,  with  orders  of  recall  for  the  whole  force. 

Thus  ended  the  short  and  irregular  struggle  with  France,  in  which 
the  present  marine  of  the  United  States  was  founded,  most  of  the 
senior  officers  now  in  service  having  commenced  their  careers  as 
midshipmen  during  its  existence. 


hi 
n 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Reduction  of  the  navy — The  nnvy  tu  re«lnccd — VcBflcln  sold — Of  tho  war  with  France. 
8«  it  aHected  the  navy — Qallant  defence  of  tlio  Loaisa. 

Every  form  of  government  has  evils  peculiar  to  itself.  In  a  de- 
mocracy there  exists  a  standing  necessity  for  reducing  every  thing  to 
the  average  comprehension,  the  high  intelligence  of  a  nation  usually 
conceding  as  much  to  its  ignorance,  as  it  imparts.  One  of  the  worst 
consequences  in  a  practical  sense,  of  this  compromise  of  knowledge, 
is  to  be  found  in  the  want  of  establishments  that  require  foresight  and 
liberality  to  be  well  managed,  for  the  history  of  every  democracy  has 
shown  that  it  ha-  been  deficient  in  the  wisdom  which  is  dependent  on 
those  expenditures  that  foster  true  economy,  by  anticipating  evils 
and  avoiding  the  waste  of  precipitation,  want  of  system,  and  a  want 
of  knowledge.  The  new  government  of  the  Union  was  now  to  expe- 
rience evils  of  this  nature,  that  are  perhaps  inseparable  from  popular 
power,  and  to  contend  with  the  cry  of  extravagance,  as  extravagance 
is  usually  viewed  by  those  who  have  not  sufficient  information  to  un- 
derstand that,  as  in  ordinary  transactions,  the  highest  pay  commands 
the  best  services,  so  in  public  things,  the  expenditures  made  in  a  time 
of  peace  are  the  surest  meansofobtaininsr  economy  in  ntime  of  war. 

The  commencement  of  the  year  1801,  was  distinguished  by  a 
change  of  administration,  for  the  first  time  since  the  adoption  of  the 
constitution ;  Mr.  Jcflerson  and  his  political  friends,  who  were  usually 
known  by  the  name  of  the  republican  party,  expelling  the  federalists 


1801.] 


NAVAL  IIIHTORY. 


191 


a 
he 


from  power,  with  Mr.  AchiniK  at  theii*  hrad,  by  a  hirgc  innjority  of 
thu  vluctoral  votoH.  Oiiu  of  thr  char;;cH  brought  agaiiiHt  the  tiihraUst 
was  ail  uiidtio  lovo  for  uniicccNHarily  larffo  and  vxpuiiHivu  cHtablitih* 
mt'iitH,  in  iinitiition  of  thu  FiiiKli><h  nchool  of  politiciatiH,  ubile  the  re* 
publicans  wur«  accused  of  a  wish  to  deceive  the  ignorant,  by  pretend- 
ing  to  a  iiakcdiiCHS  of  h'gishition  and  an  absence  of  precautionary 
measures,  which,  whiU)  they  would  save  money  at  the  moment,  might 
involve  th(!  country  in  eventual  ruin,  and  which  would  unfit  the 
people  for  the  great  exertions  certain  to  be  required  in  the  hour  of 
danger.  * 

In  this  controversy,  as  is  commonly  the  case,  both  parties  main- 
tained principles  that  were  false,  and  insisted  on  measures,  which,  if 
not  utterly  impracticable,  were  at  least  impolitic.  The  federalists  held 
the  doctrine  that  the  people  ought  to  be  taxed,  if  it  were  merely  to 
accustom  them  to  pay  for  the  support  of  government;  and  the  demo- 
crats, or  republicans  applied  to  the  management  of  political  interestH 
the  notion  that  all  that  was  necessary  was  to  provide  for  the  demands 
of  the  day,  virtually  leaving  the  future  to  attend  to  its  own  wants. 
The  first  theory  was  like  that  v.hicli  would  prescribe  periodical  de- 
pletion to  the  young  soldier,  in  onh^r  that  he  might  be  ready  to  shed 
his  blood  in  the  hour  of  trial ;  while  the  other  may  be  likened  to  the 
folly  of  the  agriculturist  who  should  expect  a  crop,  without  taking 
the  precaution  to  sow  the  seed. 

Ill  addition  to  the  extremes  into  which  political  struggles  are  apt 
to  push  political  controversialists,  Mr.  Jetferson  is  known  to  have 
been  averse  to  most  of  the  measures  taken  by  his  predecessor  against 
France,  and  he  probobly  entered  into  the  exercise  of  his  duties,  with 
a  strong  disposition  to  erase  as  many  of  the  evidences  of  their  ex- 
istence as  possible,  from  the  statutes  of  the  nation.     A  president  of 
the  United  States,  however,  is  little  more  than  an  executive  officer 
while  confined  to  the  circle  of  his  constitutional  powers,  and  the 
Congress  that  terminated  on  the  4th  of  March,  1801,  the  day  he 
came  into  office,  had  passed  n  law,  in  some  measure  regulating  a 
peace  establishment  for  the  navy.     This  law  gaxr  great  discretionary 
authority  to  the  president,  it  is  true,  for  it  empowered  him,  whenever 
he  should  deem  it  expedient,  to  sell  any,  or  all  of  the  vessels  of  the 
navy,  with  the  exception  of  thirteen  of  the  frigates,  Avhich  were  named 
in  the  act,  as  in  his  opinion  the  good  of  the  country  might  require. 
To  this  part  of  the  law  no  great  objections  could  be  taken,  even  by 
the  friends  of  an  enlarged  and  liberal  policy,  as  most  of  the  vessels 
not  excepted  had  been  bought  into,  and  were  unsuited  to  the  service, 
more  especially  at  a  period,  when  new  improvements  in  naval  archi- 
tecture, that  had  been  borrowed  from  the  French,  were  fast   super- 
seding the  old  mode  of  construction. 

The  law  also  directed  the  guns  and  stores  of  the  vessels  sold  to  be 
preserved,  a  provision  that  proved  singularly  unprofitable  in  the  end, 
as  the  cari'oiiade  now  began  to  supersede  the  small  long  gun,  in  naval 
warfare,  and  two  of  the  sloops  would  probably  have  supplied  all 
the  nines  and  sixes  that  have  been  used  in  the  navy  for  the  last  five- 
and-thirty  years.     But  the   most  capital  error  of  this  law  was  in  the 


192 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1801. 


< 
if 


limitation  it  set  to  the  list  of  the  different  ranks  of  officers.  The 
whole  of  the  sea-officers,  sailing-masters  excepted,  were  confined  to 
nine  captains,  thirty -six  lieutenants,  and  one  hundred  and  fifty  mid- 
shipmen; the  rank  of  master  commandant  being  abolished,  should 
the  president  see  fit  to  discharge  those  then  in  commission.  The 
phraseology,  as  well  as  the  provisions  of  this  law,  betrayed  that  ig- 
norance of  the  details  of  the  service,  which  has  been  so  common  in 
the  legislation  of  the  country,  omitting  many  directions  that  were 
indispensable  in  practice,  and  laying  stress  on  others  that  were  of 
little  or  no  moment. 

Notwithstanding  all  the  accusations  brought  against  it,  at  the  time, 
the  administration  of  1801  exercised  its  authority  under  the  statute, 
which,  it  will  be  well  remembered,  was  enacted  previously  to  its  ac- 
cession to  office,  with  a  reasonable  discretion,  and  though  it  may  have 
made  a  few  of  those  mistakes  that  are  incidental  to  the  discharge  of 
all  such  trusts,  it  conformed  to  the  spirit  of  the  law,  with  a  due  re- 
gard to  liberality.  Mr.  Jeflerson  soon  discovered,  as  it  falls  to  the 
lot  of  all  strong  oppositionists  to  discover,  when  they  attain  their 
wishes,  that  he  must  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  predecessor  in 
managing  most  of  the  ordinary  interests  of  the  nation,  though  the 
party  that  went  out  of  power  did  not  appear  to  recognise  the  whole- 
some but  unanswerable  truth,  that,  in  the  nature  of  things,  all  ad- 
ministrations must  be  right  in  their  mode  of  treating  a  vast  majority 
of  the  concerns  entrusted  to  their  care.  The  selection  of  the  officers 
to  be  retained  was  one  of  great  delicacy  and  'mportance,  as  the  future 
character  of  the  navy  depended  more  on  the  proper  discharge  of  this 
duty  than  on  that  of  any  other.  The  great  defect  of  the  law,  indeed, 
was  the  narrow  limits  to  which  the  list  of  the  superior  sea-officers  was 
confined,  it  being  at  all  times  easier  to  build  ships  than  to  form  pro- 
fessional men  fit  to  command  them.  This  part  of  his  delegated  du- 
ties the  president  discharged  in  perfect  good  faith,  apparently  alto- 
gether disregarding  party  considerations.  We  give  in  notes*  the 
names  of  the  superior  officers  who  were  in  service,  at  the  close  of  the 
war  with  France,  as  a  subject  of  historical  interest  with  the  country, 
and  we  add  tlic  names  of  all  the  quarter-deck  officers  who  were  re- 
tained, to  which  gentlemen  the  nation  must  look  for  those  who  per- 
fected the  school  which  has  since  reflected  so  much  credit  on  the 
American  name. 

Although  some  meritorious  officers  were  necessarily  dismissed,  oa 
this  occasion,  there  is  no  question  that  the  navy  was  greatly  benefited 
by  the  reduction ;  the  hurried  manner  in  which  the  appointments 
were  originally  made,  having  been  the  means  of  introducing  many 
persons  into  the  service  who  were  unfitted  for  its  duties.  There  was 
also  some  irregularity  in  the  mode  of  reduction,  the  name  of  Captuin 
M'Nicll  not  appearing  on  the  list  of  the  retained  captains,  though  it 
is  certain  that  he  commanded  the  Boston  as  late  as  1802.  This 
discrepancy  can  only  be  accounted  forby  supposing  that  a  discretion 
was  used  in  retaining  a  few  more  officers  than  the  legal  number,  with 
a  view  to  ascertain  if  all  those  who  were  first  selected  might  choose 

•  Sec  Note  C,  Appendix. 


Whil 
he  very 
governn 
loudly 
architecl 
than  in 
frigates.! 
gun  eve/ 
^^'ith  the! 
as  heavj 
rated  eh 
began  t(3 
strength/ 
custom 
sold,  luul 

VOL.   i| 


3d 

Its 


xin 

it 

lis 

ion 


1801.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


193 


to  serve.    In  the  case  of  Captain  M'Niell,  ]ie  was  on  foreign  service 
at  the  time  the  reduction  was  made. 

The  law  of  Congress  directed  that  thirteen  vessels,  named  in  the 
act,  should  not  be  disposed  of,  leaving  it  discretionary  with  the  presi- 
dent to  sell  the  remainder  or  not.  The  following  were  the  ships 
retained,  viz: 


Constitution 

44, 

New  York 

36, 

United  States 

44, 

Essex 

32, 

President 

44. 

General  Greene 

28, 

Congress 

38, 

Boston 

28, 

Constellation 

38, 

Adams 

28, 

Chesapeake 

38, 

John  Adams 

28. 

Philadelphia 

38, 

We  have  set  down  the  rates  of  these  ships  at  what  they  ought  to 
have  been,  in  order  to  give  n  more  accurate  comparative  idea  of  the 
true  force  of  the  diiferent  vessels,  taking  the  Enghsh  system  as  a 
guide.  The  only  vessel  that  the  president  desired  to  retain,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  ships  named  in  the  law,  was  the  Enterprise  12,  and  by 
adding  this  schooner  to  the  list  just  given,  the  reader  will  obtain  an 
accurate  idea  of  the  navy,  as  reduced  in  1801. 

The  remainder  of  the  ships  were  sold.  We  give  a  list  of  their 
names  and  rates,  marking  those  wh'ch  were  expressly  built  for  the 
public  service  with  an  asterisk,  to  di-tiuguish  them  from  those  that 
were  not,  viz : 


George  Washington  24, 

24, 
24, 
24. 
24, 
20, 
20, 
20, 
18, 
18, 


Herald 

18, 

♦Trumbull 

18, 

*  Warren 

18, 

♦Norfolk 

18, 

♦Richmond 

18, 

♦Pinckney 
♦Eagle 
♦Augusta 
♦Scammel 

18, 
14, 
14, 
14, 

♦Experiment 

12, 

Ganges 
♦Portsmouth 
♦Merrimack 
♦C'.nnecticut 
Baltimore 
Delaware 
Montezuma 
♦Maryland 
♦Patapsco 
And  nine  galleys. 
While  it  is  certain  that  a  navy  with  only  one  small  cruiser,  must 
be  very  insufficient  for  a  service  like  that  of  the  United  States,  the 
government  ought  not  to  be  censured  for  its  selection  though  it  was 
loudly  condemned  at  the  time.  In  nothing  had  the  art  of  naval 
architecture  made  greater  progress,  within  the  few  preceding  years, 
than  in  the  mode  of  constructing  vessels  of  war  below  the  class  of 
frigates.  The  carronade  was  now  fast  superseding  the  light  long 
gun  every  where,  and  it  became  the  aim  of  those  who  were  charged 
with  the  duty  of  preparing  armaments,  to  put  guns  that  would  throw 
as  heavy  a  shot  as  possible,  into  the  sloops  of  war.  The  ships  that 
rated  eighteen,  instead  of  carrying  sixes,  or  nines,  ©r  even  twelves, 
began  to  carry  thirty-two  pound  carronades,  and  they  required  greater 
strength,  thicker  bulwarks,  and  larger  ports  than  it  had  been  the 
custom  formly  to  give  to  vessels  of  their  class.  Many  of  the  ships 
sold,  had  been  constructed  in  a  hurry,  and  of  inferior  timber,  and  it 

VOL.  f.  13 


m 


i!    i 


I 


!' 


4     ■•• 


'^4 


194 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1801. 


i  . 


is  as  unprofitable  to  continue  expending  money  in  repairs  on  n  vessel 
witli  a  defective  frame,,  as  it  is  to  waste  it  on  a  house  that  is  known 
to  be  without  a  sufficient  foundation. 

The  reduction  of  the  navy,  moreover,  was  greatly  exaggerated  at 
the  time,  so  far  as  the  vessels  alone  were  concerned.  At  the  peace 
with  France,  the  cruising  vessels  in  service  were  thirty-four  in  number, 
and  of  these,  fourteen  of  the  best  were  retained.  No  frigate,  unless 
the  George  Washington  could  be  considered  one,  was  sold,  and  this 
ship  had  been  purchased  into  the  service,  and  not  built  for  tlie  public. 
As  regards  force,  materially  more  than  half,  perhaps  four-fiflhs,  was 
preserved,  the  eight  largest  frigates  retained  being  more  than  strong 
enough  to  contend  with  all  the  vessels  sold.  This  was  not  the  opinion 
of  the  day,  however,  for  interested  political  clamour  was  directed  by 
ignorance,  and  most  men  counted  one  gun  as  another,  without  re- 
ference to  its  weight,  or  its  disposition  in  the  vessel.  The  most  im- 
politic of  the  measures  of  the  government,  and  it  was  one  of  which  it 
soon  had  reason  to  repent,  was  the  law  su.spending  the  construction 
of  the  six  ships,  to  carry  not  less  than  seventy-four  guns  each,  author- 
ised by  the  act  of  1798.* 

The  recklessness  of  political  opposition  soon  made  itself  apparent, 
in  its  usual  inconsiderate  and  acrimonious  forms;  a  recommendation 
that  emanated  from  the  government,  for  the  establishment  of  dry- 
docks,  one  of  the  first  and  most  important  measures  in  the  formation 
of  a  serviceable  marine,  meeting  with  all  the  ridicule  thai  ignorance 
and  hostility  could  invent,  even  from  those  who  professed  to  bo  the 
strongest  friends  of  the  navy.  Profiting  by  the  most  vulgar  associa- 
tion that  a  want  of  knowledge  could  connect  with  the  word  "dry," 
the  papers  of  the  day  kept  ringing  the  changes  on  this  tune,  virtually 
accusing  the  administration  of  wishing  to  have  a  navy  on  shore!  It 
is,  however,  just  to  add,  that  the  views  of  the  president  extended  a 
little  beyond  the  common  practice,  his  recommendation  going  so  fur 
as  to  advise  docks  for  the  preservation,  as  well  as  for  the  repairs,  of 
ships.  Thus  did  the  gallant  little  service,  which  already  merited  so 
much  from  the  nation,  and  which  is  so  inseparably  connected  with 
all  the  great  considerations  of  national  character,  national  rights,  and 
even  of  national  existence,  find  itself  compelled  to  struggle  through 
its  infancy,  equally  assailed  by  its  nominal  friends,  who  were  in- 
juring its  vitals  while  loudest  in  their  professions  of  amity,  and  dis- 
trusted by  those  who,  having  made  the  cry  of  economy  a  sttdking- 
horse  in  their  way  to  power,  shrunk  from  the  heavy  charges  that  this, 
like  all  other  complete  means  of  national  defence,  must  unavoidably 
entail  on  thf  public.  Still  it  preserved  its  spirit,  and  finding  itself 
relieved  from  the  association  of  those  who  were  never  worthy  to  vear 
its  livery,  and  believing,  with  truth,  that  in  passing  a  peace  without 
dissolution,  it  saw  a  flattering  perspective  of  service  before  it,  tl>e 
gallant  corps  th^iUrcmainc*,  prepared  itself  to  enter  on  its  new  duties 

*  The  materials  collcctf>(l  for  these  vesscla,  principally  live-oak  timber,  worn  to  hnvo 
b«  en  preserved ;  but  much  of  the  latter  was  subsequently  used  in  tho  construclion  of 
smaller  ships,  and  frequently  to  great  waste. 


:1- 


1801.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


195 


»» 


luties 

J  hnvo 

lllon  of 


with  the   confidence  and  zeal  of  men  who  felt  tlmt  they  had  fairly 
embarked  in  an  honourable  profession  for  life. 

This  period  may  b«j  deemed  that  which  produced  the  crisis  in  the 
fate  of  the  America*!  vy.  At  the  peace  of  1783,  the  service  had 
been  entirely  disban;  and  even  the  preparations  commenced  in 
1794,  had  been  suspjuded  when  peace  was  made  with  Algiers,  leav- 
ing little  besides  the  name  of  a  marine  behind  them.  The  relations 
of  the  country  with  Tripoli,  one  of  the  Barbary  powers,  doubtless, 
had  its  influence  on  the  fortunes  of  the  service  at  this  particular  mo- 
ment, the  government  feeling  the  necessity  of  being  in  readiness  to 
resist  the  aggressions  ofanother  of  those  semi-pirates  who  then  infested 
the  Mediterranean. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  proper  officers  proceeded  to  carry  out  the 
conditions  of  the  recent  treaty  entered  into  with  France,  agreeably  to 
the  conditions  of  which,  all  the  vessels  of  war  captured  on  either  side 
were  to  be  restored.  The  Insurgente  having  been  lost,  this  stipu- 
lation became  impracticable  as  regarded  her;  but  leBerceau,  and  la 
Vengeance,  the  small  cruiser  taken  by  the  Trumbull,  were  returned 
to  the  French.  In  the  whole,  eighty  prizes  had  been  brought  into 
the  American  ports,  and  of  these,  three  were  the  vessels  of  war  al- 
ready mentioned.  Most  of  the  remainder  were  privateers.  Of  the 
latter,  eight  were  acquitted  as  illegal  captures,  one,  le  Croyable,  was 
retaken,  and  the  remaining  sixty-eight  were  condemned  and  sold. 

The  loss  of  American  shipping  in  this  war  was  considerable ;  but 
fewer  vessels  were  taken,  in  proportion,  after  hostilities  had  com- 
menced on  the  side  of  this  country,  than  had  been  previously  seized. 
No  vessel  of  war  but  the  Retaliation,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  French, 
under  any  circumstances. 

On  the  whole,  the  country  was  satisfied  with  the  results  of  the 
exertions  it  had  made  during  this  irregular  and  informal  contest,  and 
a  strong  feeling  was  awakened  in  favour  of  a  permanent  navy. 
Whatever  may  have  been  the  private  opinions  of  the  new  president 
on  this  important  branch  of  national  policy, — and  it  is  believed  they 
were  neither  as  liberal,  nor  as  far-sighted,  as  comported  with  his 
views  in  general,  though  they  were  far  from  meriting  all  the  re- 
proaches they  received, — he  put  at  the  head  of  the  department,  Mr. 
Robert  Smith,  of  Maryland,  a  gentleman  who  rendered  himself  justly 
popular  with  the  service,  who  continued  for  the  long  space  of  nine 
years  to  serve  its  interests  with  zeal  and  intelligence,  and  who  has 
left  behind  him,  in  the  breasts  of  all  who  then  composed  the  navy,  a 
feeling  that  while  their  interests  were  in  his  care,  they  were  intrusted 
to  one  well  disposed  to  serve  the  country  and  themselves. 

In  the  war  with  France  very  few  privateers  went  to  sea,  that 
country  having  little  trade  to  suffer  by  such  enterprises,  though 
scarcely  a  merchantman  sailed  without  an  armament,  and  a  crew  at 
least  double  that  she  would  have  carried  in  a  time  of  peace.  The 
years  1798,  1799,  and  1800,  were  virtually  years  of  a  general  mari- 
time war,  and  the  English  navy,  that  great  drain  of  seamen  for  the 
entire  civilized  world,  was  as  actively  employed  as  at  any  previous  or 
subsequent   period  of  its  teeming  history.     Notwithstanding  these 


i:    -i 


196 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1801. 


circumstances,  the  American  government,  while  it  suflered  many  in- 
convenicncicsfrom  the  shortness  of  the  enlistments,  found  no  difficuhy 
in  obtaining  men  during  this  struggle,  although  a  number  but  little 
short  of  ten  thousand  must  have  been  constantly  employed  during 
the  year  1800.  At  that  time,  the  tonnage  of  the  country  was  about 
half  what  it  is  to-day,  as  was  also  the  total  number  of  seamen.  The 
enemy  was  very  active,  a  fact  that  is  proved  by  the  circumstance  that 
more  French  privateers  were  taken  and  destroyed  by  the  vessels  of 
the  American  navy  alone,  in  the  West  Indies,  than  the  country  sest 
cruisers  to  sea,  at  any  period  of  the  war.  Including  the  revenue 
vessels  employed  in  1798  and  1799,  America  had  at  sea  forty-two 
different  cruisers  during  the  three  years  of  this  contest;  and  their 
captures,  limiting  them  to  the  vessels  that  were  actually  taken  into 
port,  amounted  within  two  to  double  this  number;  and  of  these,  con- 
siderably more  than  half  were  privateers  of  the  cneniy.  Still  we  find 
the  trade  but  little  interrupted,  after  the  armaments  were  made.     In 

1797,  when  America  had  not  a  vessel  of  war  in  commission,  the  ex- 
ports of  the  country  amounted  to  a  little  more  than  $57,000,000;  in 

1798,  when  the  coast  was  cleared  of  the  French  privateers,  and  the 
war  was  carried  first  into  the  West  Indies,  these  exports  reached  to 
$61,327,411;  in  1799,  to  $78,665,528;  and  in  1800,  to  $70,971,- 
780.  Some  fluctuations  in  trade  probably  produced  the  diminution 
of  the  latter  year,  as  the  American  coast  was  then  nearly  unapproach- 
ed  by  the  French.  This  truth,  indeed,  quite  clearly  appears  by  the 
revenue  on  imports,  which,  in  the  same  three  years,  was  as  follows: 
1798,67,106,061;  1799,  $6,610,449;  1800,  $9,080,932. 

This  war,  like  every  maritime  contest  in  which  America  has  been 
engaged  with  any  civilised  nation,  was  also  distinguished  by  many 
obstinate  actions  between  letters  of  marque  and  cruisers  of  the  ene- 
my. The  papers  of  the  day  are  full  of  accounts  of  this  nature,  and, 
although  they  are  not  altogether  free  from  the  suspicion  of  exagger- 
ations, or  from  the  boastful  representations  of  most  similar  ex  parte 
statements,  it  is  known  that  some  are  essentially  true.  Among  other 
combats  of  this  nature,  was  one  which  deserves  to  be  mentioned,  not 
only  on  account  of  the  general  gallantry  of  the  defence,  but  of  the 
presence  of  mind  displayed  at  a  most  critical  moment  by  a  young 
raan  of  Philadelphia,  under  age,  who,  we  regret  to  add,  was  lost  at 
sea,  in  the  succeeding  voyage,  and,  because  the  facts  are  derived  from 
a  source  that  puts  them  beyond  dispute. 

In  the  course  of  the  year  1800,  a  lightly  armed  letter  of  marque 
brig,  belonging  to  Philadelphia,  called  the  Louisa,  was  standing  into 
Gibraltar,  when  several  privateers  came  out  of  Algesiras,  as  was  the 
practice  of  the  French  in  that  day,  to  cut  her  off  from  her  port.  A 
long  and  desultory  action  ensued,  in  the  course  of  which  one  latine- 
rigged  vessel,  full  of  men,  pressed  the  Louisa  hard,  and  made  several 
bold  efforts  to  board,  in  all  of  which,  however,  she  was  frustrated. 
The  crew  of  the  Louisa  consisted  of  only  a  few  men,  and  when  their 
captain  fell,  with  a  shot  through  his  shoulder,  and  the  mate  went  be- 
low for  a  moment  to  lay  him  in  the  cabin,  believing  that  the  battle 
was  over,  they  deserted  their  guns  in  a  body,  going  down  into  the 


Assur 
ton  ; 
ship  ' 
out  I 
Tile 
proce 

w 

assum 
uej-e 

t'T.  no 

nccc'ss 

ccrs  se 

frcquei 

limits  t 

branch 

ever  he 

the  wis 

The  s( 

gradualT 

both  thi 


St  at 
Tom 


1801.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


197 


forecastle,  with  the  exception  of  the  man  at  the  wheel.  At  that  mo- 
ment  the  enemy  was  at  a  little  distance,  keeping  up  his  fire,  and  it 
was  thought,  making  preparations  for  a  fresh  attempt  to  board.  "With 
a  view  to  meet  this  effort,  the  quarter-deck  guns  of  the  brig  had  been 
properly  loaded  and  trained,  but  when  the  mate,  after  an  absence  of 
only  three  or  four  minutes,  re-appeared  on  deck,  one  passenger  ex- 
cepted, there  was  not  a  soul  to  sustain  him,  while  the  enemy  was 
luffing  up  under  his  lee  quarter,  with  his  forecastle  crowded,  and  a 
long  bowsprit  lined  with  boarders,  ready  to  take  the  leap.  He  knew 
if  the  latter  gained  the  brig's  deck,  resistance  would  be  out  of  the 
question,  even  if  all  on  board  were  at  their  stations.  This  was  a 
critical  instant  for  so  young  a  man ;  but  he  was  a  seaman  of  Phila- 
delphia, the  port  that  then  furnished  the  readiest,  the  best,  and  many 
of  the  bravest  mariners  that  sailed  out  of  America.  He  ran  to  the 
fore-scuttle  and  summoned  the  people  up,  "  to  get  a  last  shot  at  the 
Frenchmen,  before  they  should  get  out  of  their  reach  !"  Such  an 
appeal  admitted  of  no  delay.  The  men  rushed  on  deck  with  cheers, 
were  instantly  ordered  to  their  guns,  and  were  in  time  to  meet  the 
enemy.  A  raking  fire  was  jjoured  in,  the  bowsprit  was  swept  of  its 
boarders,  the  privateer  tacked  and  hauled  off,  and  the  brig  was  per- 
mitted to  proceed  without  further  molestation.  The  Louisa  entered 
the  roads  of  Gibraltar  in  triumph,  the  engagement  having  been  wit- 
nessed by  thousands  on  the  rock. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Assumptions  of  tlie  Basliaw  of  TiipoJi — The  American  flagstaff  in  cut  down — A  squad- 
ron in  fitted  out  under  Com.  Dale — His  instructions — Action  with,  and  capture  of  the 
ship  Tripoli,  by  Lieut.-Comdt.  Sterrelt — Com.  Dale  overhauls  a  Greek  vessel — takes 
out  an  oflicer  and  twenty  Tripolitan  soldiers — attempts  an  exclianpe  of  prisoners — 
The  President  is  near  being  lost — Leaving  the  Philadelphia  and  the  JEasex,  Com.  Dale 
proceeds  liomc. 

We  have  now  reached  the  period  when  the  American  marine 
assumed  a  fixed  and  permanent  character.  No  more  reductions 
were  anticipated  by  those  who  understood  the  necessities  of  the  coun- 
try, nor  have  any  c\  er  been  seriously  attempted.  Some  little  time 
necessarily  elapsed  before  it  could  be  ascertained  which  of  the  offi- 
cers selected  might  chooscito  remain  in  service,  and  resignations  were 
frequent  for  many  succeeding  years,  in  consequence  of  the  narrow 
limits  to  which  the  policy  of  the  day  had  reduced  this  important 
bniiicli  of  the  public  service,  but,  from  that  time  to  this,  no  officer  has 
ever  been  compelled  to  abandon  the  profession,  in  consequence  of 
the  wish  to  retrench,  or  of  a  disposition  to  reduce  the  establishment. 
The  security  which  this  state  of  things  tended  to  create  has  been 
gradually  increasing,  until  it  would  be  scarcely  too  much  to  say,  that 
both  tlie  country  and  the  navy,  have  got  to  consider  the  relation 


V. 


\:    I 


'■m 


I    V. 


;|p  I 


i  I 


1 


i 


^ 


i 


■■•{ 


198 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1801. 


which  exists  hetwccii  them  us  permanent  and  indissoluble.  This 
confidence  on  the  one  hand,  and  fostering  poHcy  on  the  other,  Ituve 
not  been  the  work  of  a  day,  however,  but  are  the  consequences  of  a 
lonjv  train  of  historical  events,  that  it  has  become  our  duty  to  record. 

It  has  already  been  said  that  the  necessities,  rather  than  the  fore- 
sight of  the  new  government  prevented  it  from  at  once  incurriut^  the 
expense  of  a  marine,  and  it  is  probable  that,  in  causing  such  ships 
to  be  built  as  those  which  were  laid  down  under  the  law  of  1794,  it 
looked  forward  to  their  forming  the  commencement  of  a  navy  suited 
to  the  wants  and  dignity  of  a  country,  that  all  but  those  wlio  were 
blinded  by  passion  and  malignancy,  could  easily  see  was  destined 
early  to  become  powerful.  Something,  notwithstanding,  must  be 
attributed  to  the  peculiar  condition  of  the  relations  between  one  or 
two  of  the  Barbary  States  and  the  young  republic,  at  the  precise  mo- 
ment when  peace  was  made  with  France,  and  in  pursuing  the  regu- 
lar chain  of  events  connected  with  our  subject,  we  arc  next  to  turn 
our  eyes  towards  the  Mediterranean  and  to  the  coast  of  Africa,  as 
their  scene. 

As  early  as  in  1800,  the  Bashaw  of  Tripoli,  Jussuf  Caramalli,  who 
had  deposed  his  brother  Hamet,  and  now  sat  on  the  throne  of  this 
dependency  of  the  Porte,  manifested  a  disposition  to  war.  He  had 
learned  the  concessions  made  to  Algiers,  the  manner  in  which  the 
Dey  of  that  regency  had  been  bribed  to  do  justice,  and,  by  a  course 
of  reasoning  that  was  certainly  plausible,  if  not  true,  he  inferred  that 
the  government  which  had  been  induced  to  pay  tribute  to  one  pirate, 
might  be  iiulnced  to  pay  tribute  to  another.  The  complaints  oa 
which  this  semblance  of  royalty  grounded  his  justification  for  war, 
are  such  as  ought  to  be  generally  known.  He  accused  the  Ameri- 
can government  of  having  bribed  the  subordinates  of  Tunis  at  a 
higher  price  than  it  had  bri(>ed  him  ;  he  added,  that  Algiers  had  re- 
ceived a  frigate,  while  he  had  received  none  ;  and  even  in  a  letter  to 
the  president  he  said  significantly,  in  reply  to  some  of  the  usual 
diplomatic  professions  of  friendship,  "  v/e  could  wish  that  these  your 
expressions  were  followed  by  deeds,  and  not  by  empty  words.  You 
will  therefore  endeavour  to  satisfy  us  by  a  good  manner  of  proceed- 
ing"— "  But  if  only  flattering  words  are  meant,  without  performance, 
every  one  will  act  as  he  finds  convenient.  We  beg  a  speedy  answer, 
without  neglect  of  time,  as  a  delay  on  yoi'.r  part  cannot  but  be  pre- 
judicial to  your  interests." 

Shortly  after,  the  Bashaw  informed  the  American  consul  at  Tri- 
poli, that  he  would  wait  six  months  for  a  present  in  money,  and  if  it 
did  not  arrive  within  that  time,  ho  would  formally  declare  war  against 
the  United  States.  Jussuf  Caramalli  was  as  good  as  his  word.  No 
tidings  of  the  money  having  reached  Tripoli,  the  flag-staff  of  the 
American  consulate  was  cut  down  on  the  14th  day  of  May,  1601, 
and  war  was  proclaimed  in  the  act. 

While  Tripoli  went  so  diroctly  to  work,  difficulties  existed  with  the 
other  states  of  Barbary.  Algiers  complained  that  the  tribute  was  in 
arrears,  and  Tunis  found  fault  with  the  quality  of  various  articles 
that  had  been  sent  to  lier,  by  way  of  bribing  her  not  to  seize  Ameri- 


a  sev 
ever, 
other 
The 
trade 
in  t]i( 
Entei 
latter 
Til 
Tunii 


1801.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


199 


Th- 
if  it 

lUllSt 

No 

the 

feOl, 


the 
iis  in 
tides 
ixierl- 


caii  vessels.  Certain  plunks  and  oars  were  too  short,  and  guns  of  a 
particular  description  were  much  wanted.  Morocco  was  also  dis- 
trusted, altliou<rh  the  prince  of  that  country  had  not  yet  deigned  to 
intimate  his  wishes. 

Timid  as  was  the  policy  of  the  United  States,  and  disgraceful  as 
was  that  of  all  Christendom,  at  that  period,  in  reference  to  the  Bar- 
bary  powers,  the  former  was  too  much  flushed  with  its  recent  suc- 
cesses against  France,  and  too  proud  of  its  infant  marine,  to  submit 
to  all  these  exactions  without  resistance.  Before  it  was  known  that 
Tripoli  had  actually  declared  war,  a  squadron  was  ordered  to  be 
fitted  f(M'  the  Alediterranean,  with  a  view  to  awe  the  different  sover- 
eigns of  Barbary,  by  its  presence.  The  vessels  selected  for  this  pur- 
pose consisted  of  the  President  44,  Captain  J.  Barron,  Philadelphia* 
38,  Captain  S.  Barron,  Essex  32,  Captain  Bainbridge,  and  Enter- 
prise 12,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Sterrett.  At  the  head  of  this 
force  was  Captain  Dale,  an  officer  whose  career  we  have  had  fre- 
quent occasion  to  notice,  in  the  course  of  past  events,  and  who  now 
hoisted  his  broad  pennant  in  the  President  44. 

The  instructions  given  to  Commodore  Dale,  directed  him  to  pro- 
ceed to  Gibraltar,  where  he  could  ascertain  the  state  of  things  among 
the  distrusted  regencies,  when  he  was  to  be  governed  by  circum- 
stances. Had  either  power  declared  war,  he  was  to  act  against  it, 
under  certain  restrictions ;  otherwise  he  was  to  go  off  Algiers,  Tunis, 
and  Tripoli,  in  succession,  to  deliver  presents  and  promises  at  each 
place,  and  in  the  event  of  his  succeeding  in  maintaining  the  peace,  he 
was  to  make  the  circuit  of  the  Mediterranean,  in  the  co'irse  of  the 
summer,  re-appear  off  the  ports  of  Tripoli,  Tunis,  and  Algiers,  and 
the  peace  still  continuing,  he  was  ordered  to  sail  for  home  in  Octo- 
ber. Should  either  of  the  regencies  have  commenced  hostilities, 
however,  he  had  discretionary  authority  as  to  the  disposition  of  the 
ships,  but  was  ordered  to  leave  the  Mediterranean  on  the  1st  of  De- 
cember, at  the  latest,  it  having  been  deemed  unsafe  to  cruise  in  that 
sea  in  the  winter. 

Soon  after  these  orders  were  received,  the  ships  rendezvoused  in 
Hampton  Roads,  and  sailed  for  their  place  of  destination.  On  the 
1st  of  July  they  anchored  at  Gibraltar,  where  they  found  the 
Tripolitan  admiral,  a  renegado  of  the  name  of  Lisle,  in  a  ship  of  2G 
guns,  with  a  brig  of  IG,  in  company.  There  is  no  question  that  the 
timely  appearance  of  the  American  squadron  prevented  these  two 
vessels  from  getting  into  the  Atlantic,  where  they  might  have  struck 
a  severe  blow  at  the  commerce  of  the  country.  The  admiral,  how- 
ever, protested  there  was  no  war,  though  the  information  derived  from 
other  sources,  induced  Commodore  Dale  to  distrust  his  sincerity. 
The  Essex  was  sent  along  the  north  shore  to  collect  the  American 
trade,  and  to  give  it  convoy,  the  Philadelphia  was  ordered  to  cruise 
in  the  straits  to  watch  the  two  Tripolitans,  while  the  President  and 
Enterprise  shaped  their  course  towards  Algiers,  as  ordered.  The 
latter,  however,  soon  parted  company  from  the  President  on  duty. 

The  apperance  of  a  ship  of  the  President's  force  at  Algiers  and 
Tunis,  had  an  extremely  quieting  effect  on  the  resentments  of  their 


A; 


'i 
i 


I     ! 


I 


200 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[180J. 


<«Bi;:.%i 


two  princes ;  and  Mr.  O'Brien,  the  constil  at  the  former  regency, 
gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  the  arrival  of  the  squadron  in  the  Med- 
iterranefln,  had  more  weight  in  preserving  the  peace,  than  if  the 
George  Washington,  which  vessel  was  soon  expected,  had  come  in 
with  the  tribute. 

On  the  1st  of  August,  while  running  for  MaUa,  the  Enterprise  12, 
Lieutenant  Commandant  Sterrett,  fell  in  with  and  spoke  a  polacre- 
rigged  ship  of  14  guns  and  80  men,  belonging  to  Tripoli,  that  was 
known  to  be  out  on  a  cruise  against  the  American  commerce.  Run- 
ning close  alongside,  an  action  was  commenced  within  pistol-shot, 
and  it  continued  with  little  intermission  for  three  hours,  when  the 
Turk  submitted.  During  the  combat,  however,  the  Tripolitan  struck 
three  several  times,  twice  re-hoisting  his  colours,  and  opening  his  fire 
again,  when  he  thought  an  advantage  might  be  obtained  by  attack- 
ing the  Americans  unprepared.  Irritated  by  this  treachery,  on  the 
last  occasion  the  Enterprise  resumed  her  tire,  with  an  intention  to 
sink  her  opponent,  but  after  some  further  though  fruitless  resistance, 
the  Turkish  captain  appeared  in  the  waist  of  his  ship,  and  threw  his 
ensign  into  the  sea,  bending  his  body  and  supplicating  for  quarter  by 
signs,  when  the  fire  of  the  schooner  was  stopped. 

The  name  of  the  captured  ship  was  the  Tripoli,  and  that  of  her 
ViiiSj  or  commander,  Mahomet  Sous.  Although  the  Turks  showed 
courage,  or  desperation  would  be  a  better  term,  this  first  trial  of  skill 
with  their  trans-atluiitic  enemies  was  far  from  creditable  to  them. 
The  Enterprise  raked  her  enemy  repeatedly,  and  the  consequences 
were  dreadfully  apparent  in  the  result,  50  of  the  corsair's  people  hav- 
ing been  killed  and  wounded  in  the  battle  The  ship  herself  was  a 
wreck,  and  her  mizen-mast  was  shot  away.  On  the  other  hand,  the 
Enterprise  sustained  but  little  injury  even  aloft,  and  had  not  a  man 
hurt.     Neither  did  she  suffer  materially  in  her  hull. 

The  instructions  of  Lieutenant  Sterrett  did  not  permit  him  to  carry 
the  Tripoli  in,  and  Lieutenant  David  Porter  took  possession,  and 
proceeded  to  dismantle  her.  Her  armament  was  thrown  overboard, 
and  she  was  stripped  of  every  thing  but  one  old  sail,  and  a  single  spar, 
that  were  left  to  enable  her  to  reach  port.  After  attending  to  the 
wounded,  the  prize  was  abandoned,  and  it  is  understood  a  longtime 
elapsed  before  she  got  in.  When  her  unfortunate  rais  appeared  in 
Tripoli,  even  his  wounds  did  not  avail  him.  He  was  placed  on  a 
Jackass,  paraded  through  the  streets,  and  received  the  bastinado. 
The  effect  of  this  punishment  appears  to  have  been  different  from 
what  was  expected,  for  it  is  said  the  panic  among  the  sailors  became 
so  great,  in  consequence,  that  it  was  found  difficult  to  obtain  men 
for  the  corsairs  that  were  then  fitting  for  sea.  One  thing  is  certain, 
that,  though  this  warlasted  three  years,  and  in  the  end  became  both 
spirited  and  active,  very  few  Tripolitan  cruisers  ventured  from  port 
during  its  continuance ;  or  if  ihey  quitted  port,  they  were  cautious  to 
an  extreme  about  ve:  turing  from  the  land. 

By  a  message  of  Mr.  Jefferson's,  sent  to  Congress  on  the  8th  of 
December,  1801,  we  learn  the  reason  why  the  powers  given  in  tlie 
instructions  to  Commodore  Dale,  did  not  extend  to  captures.     In 


sto 

of 

tlie 

In 


1801.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


201 


alluding  to  the  action  between  the  Enterprise  and  the  Tripoli,  nfter 
relatif  he  facts,  the  president  adds — "Unauthorised  by  tlie  con- 
stitutic  i  without  the  sanction  of  Congress,  to  go  beyond  the  line  of 
defence,  the  vessel,  being  disabled  from  committing  further  hostilities, 
was  liberated,  with  its  crew.  The  legislature  will  doubtless  consider, 
whether,  by  authorising  measures  of  offence  also,  it  will  place  our 
force  on  an  equal  footing  with  that  of  its  adversaries." 

It  must  be  admitted  that  this  was  carrying  the  doctrine  of  literal 
construction  to  extremes.  While,  in  the  nature  of  things,  it  may 
require  the  consent  of  two  independent  sovereignties  to  change  the 
legal  relations  of  the  people  of  different  countries,  from  those  of  a 
state  of  warfare  to  those  of  a  state  of  peace,  it  is  opposed  to  reason 
and  practice  to  say  it  is  not  competent  for  either  of  these  sovereign- 
ties, singly,  to  change  these  relations,  from  those  of  a  state  of  peace 
to  those  of  a  state  of  war.  The  power  to  commence  hostilities,  as  it 
belongs  to  states,  depends  on  international  law,  and  in  no  degree  on 
the  subordinate  regulations  of  particular  forms  of  government.  It  is 
both  an  affirmative  and  a  negative  right :  the  first,  as  it  is  used  by  the 
party  that  declares  the  war ;  and  the  latter,  as  it  vests  the  nation  as- 
sailed with  all  the  authority  and  privileges  of  a  belligerent.  It  surely 
cannot  be  contended  that  the  American  citizen  who  should  aid  a  hos- 
tile force  sent  against  his  country,  would  not  be  guilty  of  treason,  be- 
cause Congress  had  not  yet  declared  war,  though  the  enemy  had ; 
and  it  is  equally  fallacious  to  maintain  that  one  nation  can  carry  on 
war,  clothed  with  all  the  powers  of  a  belligerent,  without,  by  the  very 
act,  vesting  its  enemy  with  the  same  rights.  The  provision  of  the 
constitution  which  places  the  authority  to  declare  war  in  Congress, 
can  only  allude  to  the  exercise  of  the  affirmative  authority  ;  and  to 
advance  a  contrary  doctrine,  is  to  impair  that  absolute  and  govern- 
ing principle  of  reciprocity  on  which  all  international  law  depends. 
As  it  would  be  possible  for  a  nation  in  Europe  to  declare  war  against 
a  nation  in  America  many  weeks  before  the  fact  could  be  known  to 
the  party  assailed,  the  former,  if  the  doctrine  of  Mr.  Jefferson  were 
true,  would  evidently  be  enjoying  a  privilege  all  that  time,  to  the  dis- 
advantage of  the  latter,  that  is  equally  opposed  to  common  sense  and 
justice.  The  error  of  this  opinion  was  in  supposing  that,  by  cur- 
tailing and  dividing  the  powers  of  their  servants,  the  people  of  the 
United  States  meant  to  limit  the  rights  of  the  nation.  What  renders 
the  course  of  the  executive  still  more  singular,  is  the  fact  that  Com- 
modore Dale  had  established  a  blockade,  and  actually  captured  neu- 
trals that  were  entering  Tripoli,  as  will  be  presently  seen. 

The  President  appeared  off  Tripoli  on  the  24th  of  August,  when 
an  ineffectual  attempt  was  made  to  establish  a  truce.  Remaining 
eighteen  days  in  the  vicinity  of  the  town,  and  discovering  no  move- 
ment in  or  about  the  port.  Commodore  Dale  ran  down  the  coast  some 
distance,  when  he  crossed  over  to  Malta,  in  order  to  water  his  ship. 
As  soon  as  this  necessary  duty  was  performed,  the  President  returned 
to  Tripoli,  and  on  the  30th  of  August,  she  overhauled  a  Greek  ship 
bound  in,  with  a  cargo  of  merchandise  and  provisions.  On  board 
this  vessel  was  an  officer  and  twenty  Tripolitan  soldiers  besides 


i 

1 

m 

V- 


i 


hi:i 


j 


I 
t 
<       i 

I 


202 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1801. 


twenty  other  subjects  of  the  rejreiicy.  All  these  persoiiH  were  tuken 
on  board  the  frigate,  and  au  attempt  waa  made,  by  means  of  this 
lucky  capture,  to  establish  a  system  of  exchange.  Tlie  negotiations 
were  curried  on  through  Mr.  Nissen,  the  Danish  consul,  a  gentleman 
whose  name,  by  means  of  his  benevolence,  philanthropy,  and  pro- 
bity, has  become  indissolubly  connected  with  the  history  of  the  Amer- 
ican marine. 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  Bashaw  cared  very  little  about  his 
subjects,  as  he  declared  that  he  would  not  exchange  one  American 
for  all  the  soldiers.  There  was  a  little  of  the  art  of  the  negotiator  in 
this,  however,  as  he  agreed  in  the  end,  to  give  three  Americans  for  all 
tJic  soldiers,  the  officer  included,  and  three  more  for  eight  of  the 
merchants,  disclainung  the  remaining  six  merchants  as  his  subjects. 
Conunodore  Dale  appears  to  have  become  disgusted  with  this  un- 
worthy mode  of  bargaining,  for  he  sent  his  prisoners  on  board  the 
Greek  again,  and  allowed  the  ship  to  go  into  Tripoli,  relinquishing 
his  claim  on  the  merchants  altogether  as  non-combatants,  and  con- 
senting to  take  the  three  Americans  fin*  the  soldiers. 

Finding  it  necessary  to  go  down  to  Gibraltar,  the  commodore  now 
left  Tripoli,  and  proceeded  direct  to  the  former  place.  He  was  soon 
succeeded  by  the  Essex,  which  also  appeared  off  the  different  Bar- 
bary  posts. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  two  Tripolitan  cruisers  at  Gibraltar,  on  its 
being  ascertained  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  get  out  while  they 
were  so  closely  watched,  were  dismantled,  and  their  crews  were 
privately  sent  across  to  Teutan  in  boats,  to  fiad  their  way  home  by 
land  ;  just  men  enough  being  left  to  take  care  of  the  ships,  and  to 
navigate  them,  should  an  opportunity  occur  to  get  to  sea.  The 
Bashaw  complained  loudly  of  the  blockade,  as  an  innovation  on  the 
received  mode  of  warfare,  and  the  governments  of  Algiers  and  Tunis, 
which  appeared  to  distrust  the  precedent,  manifested  a  disposition  to 
join  in  the  protest.  The  Dey  of  Algiers  even  went  so  far  as  to  ask 
passports  for  the  crews  of  the  two  vessels  at  Gibraltar,  with  a  view  to 
aid  his  neighbour ;  but  the  request  was  denied. 

While  passing,  in  the  nlanner  described,  from  one  port  to  another, 
an  accident  occurred,  by  which  the  President  came  near  being  lost 
She  had  gone  into  Mahon,  and  the  pilot,  miscalculating  his  draught 
of  water,  struck  a  rock  on  the  starboard  hand  of  that  imrrow  passage, 
in  quitting  the  har'oour.  The  ship  had  five  or  six  knots  way  on  her 
at  tlie  time,  and  she  ran  up  three  or  dmr  feet  before  her  motioti  was 
lost.  It  u as  a  breathless  instant,  and  the  first  impression  was  very 
general,  that  she  must  infallibly  go  down.  Rolling  heavily,  the  hull 
settled  off  towards  the  passage,  slid  from  the  rock,  and  again  floated. 
These  are  moments  that  prove  the  training  of  the  sea-officer,  as  much 
as  the  more  brilliant  exploits  of  battle.  The  commodore  instantly 
appeared  on  deck,  and  issued  his  orders  with  coolness  and  discretion. 
The  ship  stood  through  the  narrow  outlet,  and  having  got  room,  she 
was  br(»nght  to  the  wind,  until  tlie  extent  of  the  danger  could  be 
ascertained.  On  sounding  the  ])umps,  no  mcu'c  than  the  usual 
quantity  of  water  was  found,  and  confidence  began  to  be  restored. 


1802.] 


NAVAL  UrSTORY. 


203 


Still  it  was  deemed  imprudent  to  run  off  the  land,  as  the  working  of 
so  large  a  ship,  in  a  heavy  sea,  miji;ht  open  seams  that  were  yet  tight. 
But  the  elements  were  against  the  vessel,  for  heavy  weather  bct  in, 
and  that  night  it  blew  a  gale  of  wind.  Under  the  circumstances, 
Conmiodore  Dale  decided  to  run  for  Toulon,  as  the  most  eligible  port 
in  which  to  repair  his  damages.  This  place  was  reached  in  safety, 
when  the  ship  was  stripped,  lightened,  hove  out,  and  examined. 

As  soon  as  a  view  was  obtained  of  the  stem  as  low  as  its  junction 
with  the  keel,  every  one  became  conscious  of  the  danger  that  the  ves- 
sel had  run.  A  large  piece  forword  had  been  literally  twisted  off, 
and  a  part  of  the  keel,  for  several  feet,  was  broomed  like  a  twig. 
Nothing  saved  the  ship  but  the  skilful  manner  in  which  the  wood- 
ends  had  been  secured.  Instead  of  the  ends  of  the  planks  having 
been  let  into  a  rabbetting  grooved  in  the  stem  itself,  they  had  been 
fastened  into  one  made  by  the  junction  of  the  npron-piece  and  the 
stem,  so  that  when  the  piece  was  wrenched  off,  the  seams  of  the  wood- 
ends  remained  tight.  The  French  officers,  who  discovered  great 
science  and  mechanical  skill  in  making  the  repairs,  expressed  their 
delight  at  the  mode  of  fastening  that  had  been  adopted,  which  it  is 
believed  was  then  novel,  and  they  were  so  much  pleased  with  the 
model  of  the  frigate  generally,  that  they  took  accurate  measurements 
of  all  her  lines.* 

It  has  been  said  that  the  return  of  Commodore  Dale's  squadron 
was  ordered  to  take  place  on  the  1st  of  December,  at  the  latest,  but 
discretionary  powers  appear  to  have  been  subsequently  given  tu  liim,  as 
he  left  the  Philadelphia  and  Essex  behind  him,  and  proceeded  home 
with  his  own  ship  and  the  Enterprise.  The  practice  of  entering  men 
for  only  a  twelvemonth  still  prevailed,  and  it  was  often  imperative 
on  vessels  to  quit  stations  at  the  most  unfortunate  moments.  The 
Philadelphia  was  left  to  watch  the  Tripolitans,  making  Syracuse  in 
Sicily  her  port  of  resort,  while  the  Essex  was  kept  at  the  straits,  to 
blockade  the  two  vessels  at  Gibraltar,  and  guard  the  passage  into  the 
Atlantic.     Both  ships  gave  convoys  when  required. 

Thus  ended  the  first  year  of  the  war  with  Tripoli.  Although  little 
had  been  effected  towards  bringing  the  enemy  to  terms,  much  was 
done  in  raising  the  tone  and  discipline  of  the  service.  At  Gibraltar, 
Malta,  and  other  ports,  the  finest  cruisers  of  Great  Britain  were  con- 
stantly met,  and  the  American  ships  provingto  be  entirelytheircquals, 
in  construction,  sailing,  and  manoeuvring,  a  strong  desire  was  soon 
excited  to  render  them,  in  all  other  respects,  as  good  as  those  that 
were  then  deemed  the  model-ships  of  the  world.  A  similar  opportu- 
nity had  occurred  while  cruising  in  the  West  Indies ;  but  then  a  large 
proportion  of  the  vessels  employed  were  of  inferior  qualities,  and 

*  On  this  occasion,  the  President  was  hove  out  on  one  side  only.  In  order  to  fasten, 
caulk,  and  copper  underneath  the  keel,  the  following  ingcnioua  plan  was  adopted :  A 
deep  punt,  or  scow,  was  sunk,  by  means  of  ballast,  until  its  upper  edge  was  brought 
nearly  awash.  This  scow  had  three  compartments,  one  in  the  centre  to  hold  the  ballast, 
and  one  in  each  end  to  contain  a  workman.  When  sufficiently  down  in  the  water,  the 
Bcow  was  floated  beneath  the  keel,  and  as  the  workman  stood  erect,  and  had  sulKcieut 
room  to  use  his  limbs  and  his  tools,  it  is  evident  that  he  could  execute  his  task  as  readily 
aa  any  ordinary  shipwright  on  a  staging,  who  was  obliged  to  work  above  his  own  head. 


t   ::-' 

V 


204 


NAVAL  IIISTOUV. 


[1802. 


■omc  (»f  tlio  ofHccrfi  were  unfit  to  lioM  coniniisHionM  in  any  H«'ivice. 
All  tli(!  |)iirrliMN(>(i  Nliipn  liiid  now  hcun  Hold,  and  the  reduction  law 
had  cloart'd  the  lintfl  ot'lho.«e  who  would  he  likely  to  Ivhmu  the  lun- 
bition,  or  ahirni  the  pride  of  an  a^pirin^  and  nenHitivc  nnuine.  I'ach 
day  added  to  the  knowlcdjj^e,  tone,  exprit  do  corps,  and  HrainanNlilp 
of  the  youujrer  officers;  and  as  these  opportunities  continued  to 
increase  throughout  the  whole  of  the  Mediterranean  service,  the  navy 
rapidly  went  on  iniprovinir,  until  the  commander  of  an  Aniericun 
ship  was  as  ready  to  meet  comparisons,  as  the  commander  of  any 
vessel  of  war  that  flouted. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Mcditorrnncnn  Hqundrnn,  nndor  Com.  Aforria — Itcolannllon  of  Com.  Triixnm— Sketch 
of  liiH  lifo — Th«  Uo8ton,  Cnjit.  M'Niell,  cnrricR  out  Mr.  Livingston  niinintorlo  Fninco — 
joins  tho  Mediterranean  mjuadron — Noti('«!  of  Ciipt.  M'Niell — Attack  on  lu'im-lionts  ott" 
Tripoli — ExnloHion  on  board  tho  New  York— Intrejiid  condurt  of  Cnjit.  fliiiiiucey — 
The  John  Adams,  Capt.  llodgerw,  blockndi's  Tripoli — detains  tho  MeHhouda — Hriivcry 
of  Cupt.  Porter  at  Old  Tripoli— description  of  the  town  and  port — UnsucceHsfid  attempt 
to  negotiate  a  peoee — Attack  on  a  Triiiolitan  eornuir,  hy  Caiit.  Hodgcrs — After  unmart 


I  negotiate  a  peace — AitucK  on  a  'i'ri|K>i 
cannonade  she  blows  np^Hoeall  of  Com.  Morris — Ke  Is  dismissed  from  llio  uavy — 
Remarks — Sketch  of  his  life — Notice  of  Com.  BaiTy — of  Com.  Dale. 


i)y  Cajit.  Hodgt 
He  Is  disr 


E.Ani.v  in  the  year  1802,  Congress  enacted  laws  that  ohviatcd  all 
the  constitutionul  scruples  of  the  executive,  and  which  fully  author- 
ised the  capture  and  condemnation  of  any  Tripolitan  vessels  that 
might  be  found.  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  this  law  itself  did  not 
contain  a  formal  declaration  of  war,  whilo  it  provided  for  all  the 
contingencies  of  such  a  state  of  things,  evu  to  empowering  the  presi- 
dent to  issue  commissions  to  privateer.'^  and  letters  of  marque;  and  it 
may  he  inferred  from  the  fact,  that  it  was  supposed  tln^  act  of  the 
enenty  was  sufficient  to  render  the  country  technically  a  belligerent. 
One  of  the  sections  of  this  law,  however,  was  of  great  service  to  the 
navy,  by  enabling  crews  to  be  shipped  for  two  years. 

A.s  the  President  and  Enterprise  had  returned  home,  and  the  time 
of  service  of  the  people  of  the  two  ships  that  were  left  in  the  Mediter- 
ranean was  nearly  up,  preparations  were  now  made  to  send  out  a 
relief  squadron.  For  this  service  the  following  ships  were  couiinis- 
sioned,  viz.  the  Chesapeidie  38,  Lieutenant  Chauncey,  actiii;;  cap- 
tain; Constellation  38,  Captain  Murray ;  New  York  3G,  C'.i 'laii 
Rodgcrs;  Adams  28,  Captain  Campbell;  and  Enterprise  T  },  1.;,  . 
tenant  Commandant  Sterrett.  Commodore  Truxtun  wa.s  I  ._ied 
to  command  this  squadron,  and  he  had  proceeded  to  Norfolk  for  that 
purpose,  uliei^.  a  question  arising  about  allowing  him  a  capt.iin  in  the 
flag-ship,  he     i.'<  induced  to  resign.*     Commodore  Moiris  was  ap- 


•  Thomas  Tr,;xtnn. 
New  York,  Ftl; •:!)!■ . 


t\i)  'A'ill  jiniioar  no  more  in  our  pntjes,  was  born  on  Lon?  Inland, 
•;  i7tli.  ]7j.^,  and  went  early  to  sea.    At  tho  comnienconient  of 


1802.] 


NAVAL  1II8T011Y. 


205 


pointed  tu  Huccccd  Cotninodorc  Truxtun,  und  tiliortly  after  hu  lioiittud 
his  liniiid  poniuuit  in  tin;  rii<>.siip<!iik». 

Tliu  vcHHuU  fitting  for  the  iMcditi^ranean  beinj;  in  diflurunt  iitatoH 
offorwardnuHS,  and  there  existing  :i  neceuHity  for  the  immediate  ap- 
pearance of  Home  of  them  in  tiiat  gi  t,  they  did  not  nail  in  aHqundron, 
but  UH  each  wan  ready.  The  Ent(  ^p^t^i(•  was  the  firHt  that  left  home, 
Mailing  i>i  February,  and  hIic  was  Toljuwed,  in  March,  hy  the  C(ni- 
Htellation.  The  Chesapeake  did  not  |;ct  out  uutd  April,  and  the 
Adams  followed  her  in  June.  The  two  uri  '  i*  si)i{)H  were  detained 
until  Septendier.  There  was,  lu)\v('vrr,  one  oilier  vessel  at  sea,  all 
this  time,  to  which  it  will  bo  necessary  to  make  a  brief  uthixion. 

Shortly  aAer  his  accession  to  office,  ii.  IHOl,  Mr.  JeHersoii  n\)- 
pointed  Mr.  Robert  R.  Livingston  minister  to  France,  and  the  Boston 
28,  Captain  M*Niell,  was  directed  to  carry  the  new  envoy  to  his 
place  of  dtistiimtion.  This  duty  performed,  the  ship  had  jjeen  or-> 
dp*"' ''  to  join  the  squadron  in  the  Mediterranean,  for  service  in  that 
OH  A  <  ieparturc  of  the  Boston  was  so  timed  as  to  bring  heron 
the  biation  under  both  commands,  that  of  Commodore  Dale,  and  that 
if  <  nmodoro  Morris.  This  cruise  has  become  memorable  in  the 
servici ,  on  account  of  the  eccentricities  of  the  officer  in  command  of 
the  ship.  After  encountering  a  heavy  gale  of  wind  in  the  Bay  of 
Bis  ay,  in  which  he  discovered  perfect  seamanship,  and  the  niMiost 
coolness,  under  circumstances  particularly  trying,  Captain  M'!Niell 
landed  his  passengers,  and  proceeded  to  the  Mediterranean.  If  re 
he  cruised  for  some  time,  avoiding  his  senior  officers,  whenevoi  he 
could,  passing  from  port  to  port,  appearing  off  Tripoli,  and  occasiuii- 
olly  aflbrding  a  convoy.  After  a  time,  the  Boston  returned  hoin  -, 
and  was  put  out  of  commission,  her  commander  quitting  the  servic " 

iho  Revolution,  ho  entered  on  board  a  linavy-armed  privateer,  in  the  capacity  of  a  lieu- 
tenant, (ind  wafl  frcqaently  engaged  witli  tlic  enemy's  letters  of  marque  and  privateers. 
In  1777,  lie  commanded  a  privaio  cruiser,  called  tho  Independence,  witli  success,  and 
shortly  after,  ho  was  transforrcd  to  tlio  Mars,  a  ship  of  some  force,  in  which  ho  made 
many  captures.  In  1783,  ho  sailed  for  France,  in  tho  letter  of  marque  St.  James,  with  an 
Americnu  agent  on  board,  and  had  a  combat  with  a  heavier  vessel,  that  had  been 
expressly  sent  out  of  New  York  to  capture  him,  which  ship  he  beat  ofl'with  loss.  Captain 
Truxtuu  commanded  Indiamen  al\er  the  peace  of  1783,  and  in  1794,  he  was  commissioned 
in  the  navy,  as  tho  iil\h  captain,  and  ordered  to  superintenil  the  construction  of  tho  Con- 
stellation 38,  then  jnst  laid  down  at  Hallimorc.  In  this  ship  ho  wont  to  sea,  in  the  war 
against  France,  and  in  17U9,  ho  captured  I'lnsurgcnto  3G.  The  following  year,  he  had 
tho  well-known  and  bloody  combat  with  la  Vengeance  j  and  soon  after,  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  President  44.  In  this  vcb.<h!1.  Commodore  Truxtun  made  cruises  in  tho  West 
Indies  until  the  war  ended. 

Comniodoro  Truxtun  twice  commanded  on  the  Guadalonpe  station;  previously  to 
quitting  tho  Constcllati'  n,  and  subsequently  to  his  hoisting  his  broad  pennant  in  tho 
President.  At  one  time,  ho  had  as  many  as  ten  vessels  under  his  orders ;  a  force  that  he 
directed  with  zeal,  cfHi-ioncy  and  discretion.  He  was  a  good  seaman,  and  a  very  brave 
man.  To  him  belongs  tito  credit  of  having  fotighl  the  first  battle  under  the  present  or- 
ganisation of  the  navy,  in  which  ho  acquitted  hlnmelf  skillfully  and  with  success.  Tho 
action  witli  la  Ventjciance  has  always  been  considered  one  of  tho  warmest  combats  be- 
tween frigates  that  is  on  record ;  anil  there  is  not  the  smallest  doubt  that  ho  would  havo 
brought  his  enemy  into  port,  but  for  the  loss  of  hia  main-mast.  Congress  awarded  him 
a  gold  medal  for  hU  conduct  on  tliat  occasion. 

It  is  said  Comincxlore  Traxtnn  did  not  intend  to  resign  his  commission  in  the  navy,  in 
1802,  but  simply  llio  command  of  tho  squadron  to  which  he  had  been  appointed.  Tho 
construction  put  upon  ITh  communication  by  tho  department,  however,  was  opposed  to 
this  idea,  and  Iio  consii'<|ucnll>'  retired  to  i)rivate  life. 

Aft(!r  lii.s  nsii-'iiatiou  Connnoclore  Tru.xtuu  tilled  one  or  two  civil  offices.  He  died 
in  18-'v!,  aged  07, 


II 


206 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1S02. 


t  : 


•■t.-.  \ 


under  the  reduction  law.*  The  Essex  and  Philadelphia  also  re- 
turned home,  as  soon  as  relieved.  ^ 

We  have  now  reached  the  summer  of  1802,  and  must  confine  the 
narrative  of  events  to  the  movements  of  the  different  vessels  that 
composed  the  squadron  under  the  orders  of  Commodore  Morris.  In 
some  respects,  this  was  the  best  appointed  force  that  had  ever  sailed 
from  America.  The  ships  were  well  officered  and  manned,  and  the 
crews  had  been  entered  for  two  years,  or  double  the  usual  period. 
The  powers  given  to  the  commanding  officer,  appear  to  have  been 
more  ample  than  common;  and  so  strong  was  the  expectation  of  the 
government  that  his  force  was  sufficient  to  bring  the  enemy  to  terms, 
that  Commodore  Morris  was  associated  with  Mr.  Cathcart,  the  late 
consul  at  Tripoli,  in  a  commission  to  negotiate  a  peace.  He  was 
also  empowered  to  obtain  gun-boats,  in  order  to  protect  the  American 
trade  in  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar. 

As  there  were  no  means  of  bringing  the  Bashaw  of  Tripoli  to  terms 
but  blockade  and  bombardment,  two  material  errors  seem  to  have 
been  made  in  the  composition  of  the  force  employed,  which  it  is 
necessary  to  mention.  There  was  no  frigate  in  this  squadron  that 
carried  a  long  gun  heavier  than  an  eighteen-pounder,  nor  was  there 
any  mortar  vessel.  Heavy  carronades  had  come  into  use,  it  is  true, 
and  most  ships  carried  more  or  less  of  them;  but  they  are  guns  un- 
suited  to  battering  under  any  circumstances,  and  were  particularly 
unfitted  for  an  assault  on  works  that  it  is  difficult  to  approach  ven^ 
near,  on  account  of  reefs  of  rocks.  There  was  also  a  singular  defi- 
ciency in  small  vessels,  without  which  a  close  blockade  of  a  port  like 
Tripoli,  was  extremely  difficult,  if  not  impossible.  It  will  be  remem- 
bered, that  the  schooner  Enterprise  was  the  only  vessel  left  in  the 
navy  by  the  reduction  law,  that  was  not  frigate-built,  and  none  had 
yet  been  launched  to  supply  the  defect.  The  government,  however, 
had  become  aware  of  the  great  importance  of  light  cruisers,  and 
several  were  laid  down  in  the  summer  of  this  year,  under  authority 
granted  for  that  purpose. 

As  has  been  seen,  the  Enterprise  12,  Lieutenant  Commandant 
Sterrett,  was  the  first  vessel  of  the  new  squadron  that  reached  the 
Mediterranean.  She  was  soon  followed  by  the  Constellation  38, 
Captain  Murray,  which  ^hip  arrived  off  Tripoli  early  in  May,  where 
she  found  the  Boston  28,  Captain  M'Niell,  blockading  the  port. 
The  latter  ship,  in  a  few  days,  quitted  the  station,  and  never  re- 

■"  Tho  eccentricities  of  Captain  M'Niell  have  become  traditional  in  tlic  service.  While 
at  Sicily  during  this  cruise,  a  band  belonsring  to  one  of  the  regiments  quartered  at 
Massiim,  was  sent  on  board  the  ship,  and  he  brought  iho  musicians  to  America,  it  is  said, 
without  their  consent.  A  portion  of  those  men  wereon  their  way  back  in  the  ChoRapcake, 
in  1807,  when  that  ship  was  attacked  by  the  Leopard.  On  another  occasion  he  is  said 
to  have  sailed  from  Toulon,  leaving  three  of  his  own  officers  on  shore,  and  carrying  off" 
three  French  officers  who  had  been  dining  on  board,  with  a  view  to  keep  np  his  com- 
plement !  The  latter  were  carried  across  to  the  African  coast,  and  put  in  a  fishing  vessel ; 
but  many  months  elapsed  before  all  his  own  officers  could  rejoin  their  ship.  Captain 
M'Nii  11  subsoqucnlly  conimande<l  a  revenue  cutter,  and  performed  a  gallant  thing  in  the 
war  of  1812.  He  is  said  to  have  boon  the  son  of  tho  Captain  M'Niell  who  commanded 
the  Boston  24,  in  the  warofthe  Revolution,  though  we  possess  no  other  evidence  of  this 
fact  than  common  report.    Neither  his  sey  manship,  nor  his  gallantry,  was  ever  questioned. 


int 
^he 
J8, 

3re 
»rt. 
re- 


lom- 
Iscl ; 
Itain 

I  the 
Ided 
[this 

acd. 


1802.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


207 


appeared  on  it.     A  Swedish  cruiser  was  also  off  the  port,  assisting 
to  blockade.* 

After  being  off  the  port  some  time,  the  Constellation  was  lying 
three  or  four  leagues  from  the  town,  when  the  look-out  aloft  reported 
several  small  vessels  to  the  westward,  stealing  along  shore.  The 
wind  was  quite  Hght,  and  the  Swedish  frigate,  at  the  moment,  was  a 
longdistance  outside.  Sail  was  got  on  the  Constellation,  and  towards 
noon  the  strangers  were  made  out  to  be  seventeen  Tripolitan  gun- 
boats, which,  as  it  was  afterwards  ascertained,  had  gone  out  at  night,  . 
with  the  intention  of  convoying  into  port,  an  American  prize  that 
was  expected  from  Tunis,  but  which  had  failed  to  appear.  Fortu- 
nately the  wind  freshened  as  the  Constellation  drew  in  with  the  land, 
and  about  one  o'clock,  hopes  were  entertained  of  cutting  off  all,  or  a 
portion  of  the  enemy.  The  latter  were  divided  into  two  divisions, 
however,  and  that  which  led,  by  pulling  directly  to  windward,  effected 
its  escape.  The  division  in  the  rear,  consisting  often  boats,  was  less 
fortunate,  the  Constellation  being  enabled  to  get  it,  for  a  short  time, 
under  her  fire. 

The  wind  blew  nearly  from  the  direction  of  the  town,  and  the 
Tripolitans  still  endeavoured  to  cross  the  bows  of  the  ship,  as  she 
was  standing  in ;  but  Captain  Murray,  having  run  into  ten  fathoms, 
opened  upon  the  enemy,  time  enough  to  cut  off  all  but  one  boat  of 
the  rear  division.  This  boat,  notwithstanding  a  hot  discharge  of 
grape,  succeeded  in  getting  to  windward,  and  was  abandoned  to 
attend  to  the  remainder.  The  enemy  now  opened  a  fire  in  return, 
but  the  Constellation  having,  by  this  time,  got  the  nearest  boats  fairly 
under  her  broadsides,  soon  compelled  the  whole  nine  to  bear  up, 
and  to  pull  towards  the  shore.  Here  they  got  into  nooks  behind  the 
rocks,  or  in  the  best  places  of  refuge  that  offered,  while  a  large  body 
of  cavalry  appeared  on  the  sand-hills  above  them, to  prevent  a  landing. 
Deeming  it  imprudent  to  send  in  the  boats  of  a  single  frigate  against 
so  formidable  a  force.  Captain  Murray  wore  and  stood  offshore,  soon 
after  speaking  the  Swede,  who  had  not  been  able  to  close  in  time  to 
engage. 


This  little  affair  was  the  first  that  occurred  off  the  port  of  Tripoli, 
in  this  war,  and  it  had  the  effect  of  rendering  the  enemy  very  cautious 
in  his  movements.  The  gun-boats  were  a  good  deal  cut  up,  though 
tlieir  loss  was  never  ascertained.  The  cavalry,  also,  suffered  ma- 
terially, and  it  was  said  that  an  ofllicer  of  high  rank,  nearly  allied  to 
the  Bey,  was  killed.  The  Constellation  sustained  some  trifling 
damage  aloft,  but  the  gun-boats  were  too  hard  pressed  to  render  their 
fire  very  serious.  The  batteries  opened  upon  the  ship,  also,  on  this 
occasion,  but  all  their  shot  fell  short. 

After  waiting  in  vain  for  the  re-appearance  of  the  Boston,  Captain 
Murray  was  compelled  to  quit  the  station  for  want  of  water,  when 
Tripoli  was  again  left  without  any  force  before  it. 

The  Chesapeake  38,  Acting  Captain  Chauncey,  wearing  the  broad 
pennant  of  Commodore  Morris,  reached  Gibraltar  May  25th,  1802, 

*  Swcdon  was  at  war  with  Tripoli,  at  this  time,  also,  but  peace  was  made  in  the  course 
of  the  summer. 


I 


208 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1803. 


';i 


where  she  found  the  Essex  33,  Captain  Bainbridge,  still  bloekuding 
the  Tripolitan  cruisers.  The  latter  vessel  was  sent  home,  and  the 
Chesapeake,  which  had  need  ofropairs,  having  sprung  hernriainniast, 
continued  in  the  straits,  for  the  purpose  of  refitting,  and  of  watching 
the  enemy.  Commodore  Morris  also  deemed  it  prudent  to  observe 
the  movements  of  the  government  of  Morocco,  which  had  manifested 
a  hostile  disposition.  The  arrival  of  the  Adams  28,  Captain  Camp- 
bell, late  in  July,  however,  placed  the  flag-ship  at  liberty,  and  she 
sailed  with  a  convoy  to  various  ports  on  the  north  shore,  having  the 
Enterprise  in  company  This  long  delay  below,  of  itself,  almost  de- 
feated the  possibility  of  acting  efficiently  against  the  town  of  Tripoli 
that  summer,  since,  further  time  being  indispensable  to  collect  the 
different  vessels  and  to  make  the  necessary  preparations,  it  would 
bring  the  sliips  before  that  place  too  late  in  the  season.  The  fault, 
however,  if  fault  there  was,  rested  more  with  those  who  directed  the 
preparations  at  home,  than  with  the  commanding  ofllcer,  as  the  delay 
at  Gibraltar  would  seem  to  have  been  called  for,  bv  circumstances. 
The  Chesapeake,  following  the  north  shore,  and  touching  at  uumy 
ports,  anchored  in  the  roads  of  Leghorn,  on  the  12th  of  October.  At 
Legliorn  the  Constellation  was  met,  which  ship  shortly  after  retiu'ned 
home,  in  consequence  of  a  discretionary  power  that  had  been  left 
with  the  commodore.*  Orders  were  now  sent  to  the  different  vessels 
of  the  squadron  to  rendezvous  at  Malta,  whither  the  commod«)re  pro- 
ceeded, with  his  own  ship.  Here,  in  the  course  of  the  month  of 
January,  1803,  were  assembled  the  Chesapeake  38,  Acting  Captain 
Chauncey;  New  York  36,  Capi  in  J.  Barron;  John  Adams  28, 
Captain  Rodgers,  and  Enterprise  12,  Lieutenant  Commandant 
Sterrett.  Of  the  remaining  vessels  that  had  been  put  under  the  orders 
of  Commodore  Morris,  the  Constellation  38,  Captain  Murray,  had 
gone  into  a  Spanish  port  to  repair  some  damages  received  in  a  gale 
of  wind,  and  she  shortly  after  sailed  forborne;  the  Boston  28,  Cap- 
tain M'Niell  had  not  joined,  and  the  Adams  28,  Captain  Can»phell 
was  cruising  ofl"  Gibraltar.  On  the  30th  of  January,  1803,  the  ships 
first  named  left  Malta  with  an  intention  to  go  oflf  Tripoli,  but  a  se- 
vere gale  coming  on,  which  lasted  eleven  days,  the  commodore  was 
induced  to  bear  up,  and  to  run  down  to  Tunis,  where  it  was  under- 

•  While  tlie  ships  lay  at  Leghorn,  it  blew  a  gale.  Tlie  officers  of  the  ConstolliUi'on 
were  on  tlio  (luaitcr-deck  just  at  dusk,  and  they  observed  a  boat  of  the  Entcrpriso  i,'t>in,t]f 
otr  to  ibo  Fchoonor,  carrying  sail  in  a  way  that  was  thonglit  dangerous.  At  tlmi  ntonieni, 
tlic  gcnllcnicn  wore  summoned  to  their  supper,  and  while  at  table,  an  alarm  was  uivcn, 
ofaman  overboiini.  A  man,  in  fact,  was  found  hanging  to  the  rudder  chiiins,  and  ho 
was  got  in  nearly  exhausted.  All  he  could  utter  was  "  Slerrett's  boat."  This  renilleil 
the  boat  that  had  liccn  seen,  and  three  cutters  immediately  left  the  ship  to  scai-eh  fdc  iho 
rest  of  the  crew.  Lioutonantswent  in  the  boats,  viz.  the  present  Commodore  Stewart, 
tiie  present  Commodore  .1.  .Tones,  and  the  ri_'retted  Caldwell.  The  ni^ht  was  very  dark, 
it  blew  furiously,  and  the  object  was  almost  hopeless.  The  boats  pulled  otf  in  ditlerent 
directions,  and  Air.  Jones  picked  up  a  man  outside  the  ship.  Mr.  Caldwell,  after  a  Umy 
pull,  found  no  one.  Mr.  Stewart  went  a  mile  to  leeward,  and  found  a  man  swimming 
towards  the  Melora,  and  on  returning,  agninst  the  wind  aind  sea,  he  met  another,  sense- 
less, floatinir  w'aU  his  arms  over  an  oar.  Thus  were  three  almo.st  miraculously  siiv(>d, 
but  the  niidslii|inian,  Mr.  Innes,  and  three  others  were  drowned.  The  hist  nsan  picked 
up  was  found  by  the  boat's  aeeidentully  hitting  the  oar  that  kept  him  from  sinkini; !  Tlio 
circumsi!inc(,'  iji'dvih  the  usefulness  of  exertioiiB,  at  such  a  moment,  however  hopele»3 
they  may  appear. 


Degan 


1803.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


209 


JC- 

as 
,'r- 

ion 

.>nt, 
on, 
ho 
hnl 
ihc 
art, 
irk, 
ii<t»t 

riio 

Hens 


Stood  tlie  presence  of  tlie  squadron  would  be  useful.  On  the  11th  of 
March  he  left  Tunis,  touched  at  Algiers,  and  anchored  again  at 
Gibraltar  on  the  23d  of  the  month. 

The  reason  assigned  for  carrying  the  ships  below,  when  it  had  been 
the  original  design  to  appear  off  the  enemy's  port,  was  the  want  of 
provisions,  as  well  as  to  make  the  transfers  and  arrangements  de- 
pendent on  shifting  the  pennant  of  the  commanding  officer,  from  the 
Chesapeake  to  the  New  York,  the  former  ship  having  been  ordered 
liome  by  the  navy  department.  The  squadron  was  now  reduced  to 
the  New  York  36,  the  Adams  28,  the  John  Adams  28,  and  the  En- 
terprise 12.  Acting  Captain  Chauncey  accompanied  the  commodore 
to  the  first  of  these  vessels,  and  Captain  Barron  was  transferred  to 
the  Chesapeake.  The  Adams  was  despatched  with  a  convoy,  with 
orders  to  go  off  Tripoli,  as  soon  as  the  first  duty  was  performed. 

On  the  10th  of  April  the  New  York,  John  Adams,  and  Enterprise 
sailed,  to  touch  at  Malta  on  their  way  to  the  enemy's  port.  While 
making  this  passage,  just  as  the  music  had  been  beating  to  grog,  a 
heavy  explosion  was  heard  near  the  cock-pit  of  the  flag-ship,  and  the 
lower  part  of  the  vessel  was  immediately  filled  with  smoke.  It  was 
an  appalling  moment,  for  every  one  on  board  was  aware  that  a  quan- 
tity of  powder  must  have  exploded,  not  far  from  the  magazine,  that 
fire  was  necessarily  scattered  in  the  passages,  that  the  ship  was  in 
flames,  and  in  all  human  probability,  that  the  magazine  was  in  dan- 
ger. Acting  Captain  Chauncey  was  passing  the  drummer  when  the 
explosion  occurred,  and  he  ordered  him  to  beat  to  quarters.  The 
alarm  had  not  been  given  a  minute,  when  the  men  were  going  steadily 
to  their  guns,  and  other  stations,  under  a  standing  regulation,  which 
directed  this  measure  in  the  event  of  a  cry  of  fire,  as  the  most  certain 
means  of  giving  the  officers  entire  command  of  the  ship,  and  of  pre- 
venting confusion.  The  influence  of  discipline  was  well  exhibited 
on  this  trying  occasion  ;  for,  while  there  is  nothing  so  fearful  to  the 
seaman  as  the  alarm  of  fire,  the  people  went  to  their  quarters,  as 
regularly  as  in  the  moments  of  confidence. 

The  sea  being  smooth,  and  the  weather  moderate,  the  commodore 
himself  now  issued  an  order  to  hoist  out  the  boats.  This  command,, 
which  had  been  given  under  the  influence  of  the  best  feelings  of  the 
human  heart,  was  most  unfortunately  timed.  The  people  had  no. 
sooner  left  the  guns  to  execute  it,  than  the  jib-boom,  bow-sprit,  sprit- 
sail-yard,  knight-heads,  and  every  spot  forward  was  lined  with  men,, 
under  the  idea  of  getting  as  far  as  possible  from  the  magazine. 
Some  even  leaped  overboard  and  swam  for  the  nearest  vessel. 

The  situation  of  the  ship  was  now  exceedingly  critical.  With  a 
fire  known  to  be  kindled  near  the  magazine,  and  a  crew  in  a  great 
measure  disorganised,  the  chances  of  escape  were  much  diminished, 
liut  Acting  Captain  Chauncey  rallied  a  few  followers,  and  reminding 
them  that  they  might  as  well  be  blown  up  through  one  deck  as  three, 
he  led  the  way  below,  into  passages  choked  with  smoke,  where  the 
danger  was  rapidly  increasing.  There,  by  means  of  wetted  blankets, 
taken  from  the  purser's  store-room,  and  water  thrown  by  hand,  he 
Dcgan  to  contend  with  the  firc^  in  a  spot  where  a  spark  scattered 

VOL.   I.  14 


I 


210 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1803. 


even  by  the  efforts  made  to  extinguish  the  flames,  might,  in  a  single 
instant,  have  left  nothing  of  all  on  board,  but  their  names.  Mr.  Da- 
vid Porter,  the  first  lieutenant,  who  meets  us  in  so  many  scenes  of 
trial  and  danger,  had  ascended  from  the  ward-room,  by  meana  of  a 
stern  ladder,  and  he  and  the  other  officers  seconded  the  noble  efforts 
of  their  intrepid  commander.  The  men  were  got  in  from  the  spars 
forward,  water  was  abundantly  supplied  and  the  ship  was  saved. 

This  accident  was  supposed  to  have  occurred  in  consequence  of  a 
candle's  having  been  taken  from  a  lantern,  while  the  gunner  was 
searching  some  object  in  a  store-room  that  led  from  the  cock-pit.  A 
quantity  of  marine  cartridges,  and  the  powder-horns  used  in  priming 
the  guns,  and  it  is  thought  that  some  mealed  powder,  exploded.  Two 
doors  leading  to  the  magazine  passage  were  forced  open,  and  nearly 
all  the  adjoining  bulkheads  were  blown  down.  Nineteen  officers  and 
men  were  injured,  of  whom,  fourteen  died.  The  sentinel  at  the  mag- 
azine passage,  was  driven  quite  through  to  the  filling-room  door. 

After  the  panic  caused  by  quitting  the  guns  to  hoist  out  the  boats, 
all  the  officers  and  people  of  the  ship,  appear  to  have  behaved  well. 
The  order  to  hoist  out  the  boats,  might  be  explained  by  natural  affec- 
tion ;  but  we  have  recorded  the  whole  transaction,  as  it  is  replete 
with  instruction  to  the  young  officer,  on  the  subject  of  system,  sub- 
mission to  orders,  and  the  observance  of  method.* 

The  ships  appear  to  have  been  detained  some  time  at  Malta  by  the 
repairs  that  were  rendered  necessary  in  consequence  of  the  accident 
just  mentioned.  On  the  3d  of  May,  however,  the  John  Adams  was 
sent  off  Tripoli,  alone,  with  orders  to  blockade  that  port.  Shortly 
after  this  ship  reached  her  station,  slie  made  a  sail  in  the  offing,  which 
she  intercepted.  This  vessel  proved  to  be  the  Meshouda,  one  of  the 
cruisers  that  had  been  so  long  blockaded  at  Gibraltar,  and  which  was 
now  endeavouring  to  get  home  under  an  assumed  character.  She 
had  been  sold  by  the  Bashaw  to  the  Emperor  of  Morocco,  who  had 
sent  her  to  Tunis,  where  she  had  taken  in  supplies,  and  was  now 
standing  boldly  for  the  harbour  of  Tripoli.  The  reality  of  the  trans- 
fer was  doubted,  and  as  she  was  attempting  to  evade  a  legal  blockade, 
the  Meshouda  was  detained. 

About  the  close  of  the  month.  Commodore  Morris  hove  in  sight, 
in  the  New  York,  with  the  Adams  and  Enterprise  in  company.  As 
the  flag-ship  neared  the  coast,  several  small  vessels,  convoyed  by  a 
number  of  gun-boats,  were  discovered  close  in  with  the  land,  making 
the  best  of  their  way  towards  the  port.  Chase  was  immediately 
given,  and  finding  themselves  cut  oft'  from  the  harbour,  the  merchant 
vessels,  eleven  in  all,  took  refuge  in  Old  Tripoli,  while  the  gun-boats, 
by  means  of  their  sweeps,  were  enabled  to  pull  under  the  batteries  of 
the   town  itself.      No  sooner   did  the  vessels,  small   latine-rigged 

*  It  is  a  tradition  of  the  service,  we  know  not  on  what  founriation,  that,  when  nn  order 
was  given  to  a  quarter-mapter  to  hoist  the  sicniil  of  "  a  fire  on  hoard,"  in  the  hnrrv  of  the 
moment  lie  bent  ou  a  wrong  flag,  and  tlie  signal  for  "  a  mutiny  on  board,"  was  shown. 
Captain  llodgers  of  the  John  Adums,  observing  an  alarm  in  the  New  York,  an<l  perceiv- 
ing smoke  issuing  from  her  ports,  heat  to  quarters,  and  ranged  up  under  the  stern  of  the 
commodore,  with  hia  guns  trained,  in  readiness  to  fire.  The  llireatened  consummation  to 
a  calamity  that  was  already  sufficiently  grave,  was  prevented  by  explanations. 


the 


•It  is 
•Vcord  tl; 
was  woi 


1803.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


211 


As 

tely 

mnt 

|ats, 

of 

igcd 

krder 
[f  the 
lown. 
1-cpiv- 
Iftbe 
Ion  to 


coasters  loaded  with  wlieat,  get  into  Old  Tripoli,  than  preparations 
were  made  to  defend  thein.  A  large  stone  building  stood  on  a  bank 
some  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  from  the  shore,  and  it  was  occupied  by  a 
considerable  body  of  soldiers.  In  the  course  of  the  night  breast- 
works were  erected  on  each  side  of  this  building,  by  means  of  the 
sacks  of  wheat  which  composed  the  cargoes  of  the  feluccas.  The 
latter  were  hauled  upon  the  beach,  high  and  dry,  immediately  beneath 
the  building,  and  a  large  force  was  brought  from  Tripoli,  to  man  the 
breast-works. 

Mr.  Porter,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  flag-ship,  volunteered  to  go 
in  that  night,  with  the  boats  of  the  squadron,  and  destroy  the  enemy's 
craft ;  but,  urtwilling  to  expose  his  people  under  so  much  uncer- 
tainty, the  commodore  decided  to  wait  for  daylight,  in  order  that  the 
ships  might  co-operate,  and  in  the  hope  of  intimidating  the  Tripoli- 
tans  by  a  show  of  all  his  force.  Mr.  Porter,  however,  went  in  alone 
and  reconnoitercd  in  the  dark,  receiving  a  heavy  fire  from  the  mus- 
ketry of  the  troops  when  discovered. 

Next  morning,  the  offer  of  Mr.  Porter  was  accepted,  and  sustained 
by  Lieutenant  James  Lawrence  of  the  Enterprise,  and  a  strong  party 
of  officers  and  men  from  the  other  ships,  he  went  boldly  in,  in  open 
day.  As  the  boats  pulled  up  within  reach  of  musketry,  the  enemy 
opened  a  heavy  fire,  which  there  was  very  little  opportunity  of  return- 
ing. Notwithstanding  the  great  superiority  of  the  Turks  in  numbers, 
the  party  landed,  set  fire  to  the  feluccas,  and  regaining  their  boats, 
opened  to  the  right  and  left,  to  allow  the  shot  of  the  ship  to  complete 
the  work.  The  enemy  now  appeared  as  desperately  bent  on  pre- 
serving their  vessels  as  their  assailants,  a  few  minutes  before  had 
been  bent  on  destroying  them.  Regardless  of  the  fire  of  the  ships, 
they  rushed  on  board  the  feluccas,  succeeded  in  extinguishing  the 
flames,  and,  in  the  end,  preserved  them. 

This  attack  was  made  in  the  most  gallant  manner,  and  reflected 
high  credit  on  all  engaged.  The  parties  were  so  near  each  other, 
that  the  Turks  actually  threw  stones  at  the  Americans,  and  their  fire 
was  sharp,  heavy  and  close.  The  loss  of  the  enemy  couid  never  be 
ascertained,  but  a  good  many  were  seen  to  fall.  Of  the  Americans, 
12  or  15  were  killed  and  wounded  ;  and  among  the  latter,  was  Mr. 
Porter,  who  received  a  slight  wound  in  the  right,  and  a  musket-ball 
through  the  left  thigh,  while  advancing  to  the  attack,  though  he  con- 
tinued to  command  to  the  last.  Mr.  Lawrence  was  particularly  dis- 
tinguished, as  was  Mr.  John  Downes,  one  of  the  midshipmen  of  the 
New  York.* 

Commodore  Morris  determined  to  follow  up  this  attack  on  the 
wheat  vessels,  by  making  one  on  the  gun-boats  of  the  enemy.  The 
harbour  of  Tripoli  is  formed  by  an  irregularly  shaped  indentation 
of  the  coast,  wliich  opens  to  the  north.  The  greatest  depth  is  about 
a  mile  and  a  half,  and  the  width  maybe  a  little  more.  On  its  western 
side,  this  indentation  runs  off"  at  an  angle  of  about  25  degrees  with 

*  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  this  is  the  fifth  instance  in  which  we  have  had  occasion  to 
record  the  good  conduct  of  Lieutenant  David  Porter,  in  four  years  and  the  third  time  he 
was  wounded. 


I 


, 


I 


I    1 


212 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1803. 


the  const,  while  on  the  eastern,  the  outline  of  the  bay  melts  into  that 
of  tlie  main  shore  much  less  perceptibly,  leaving  the  anchorage  within 
a  good  deal  exposed  to  northeast  winds.  But  at  the  point  where  the 
western  angle  of  the  bay  unites  with  the  main  coast,  there  is  a  small 
rocky  peninsula  that  stretches  oiT  in  a  northeast  direction  a  consider- 
able distance,  forming  a  sort  of  natural  mole,  and,  at  the  end  of  this 
again,  an  artificial  mole  has  been  constructed  in  a  line  extending 
nearly  east-south-east.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  that  the  real 
port  is  behind  this  mole,  in  which  there  is  water  for  galleys,  and 
where  vessels  are  sufficiently  protected  from  any  winds.  The  town, 
which  is  small,  crov.ded,  and  walled,  stretches  along  the  shore  of  this 
port,  for  less  than  a  mile,  then  retires  inland  about  a  thousand  feet, 
and  following  the  general  direction  of  the  wall  along  the  harbour,  i* 
strikes  the  sea  again  at  the  distance  of  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
the  angle  at  the  point  of  junction  between  the  bay  and  the  const.  Of 
course,  the  town  extends  the  latter  distance  along  the  open  sea.  The 
shore,  however,  is  rocky,  though  low,  and  rocks  lie  in  sight  at  some 
distance  from  the  beach.  On  one  of  these  rocks,  in  front  of  the  end 
of  the  town  that  lies  exposed  to  the  sea,  a  work  has  been  built  some 
distance  off  in  the  water,  which  is  called  the  French  Fort.  On  the 
natural  mole  are  batteries,  one  of  which  is  in  two  tiers ;  at  the  end 
of  the  artificial  mole  is  another,  and  several  are  distributed  along  the 
walls  of  ihe  place. 

Near  the  southeastern  angle  of  the  town,  and  immediately  on  the 
shore  of  the  port,  stands  the  Uashaw's  castle  ;  the  entrance  into  the 
iimer  harbour,  or  galley  mole,  lying  necessarily  between  it  and  the 
mole- head  ;  the  distance  between  the  two  being  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  The  advanced  peninsula,  which  forms  what  we  have  termed 
the  natural  mole,  is  surrounded  by  broken  rocks,  which  show  them- 
selves above  the  water,  but  which  suddenly  cease  within  pistol-shot 
of  its  batteries.  At  a  distance  of  a  few  hundred  feet,  however,  the 
line  of  these  rocks  re-Jtppears,  stretching  off  in  a  northeasterly  direc- 
tion, about  a  mile  further.  These  rocks  are  broken,  and  have  many 
small  passages  between  them  through  which  it  is  possible  for  boats  to 
pull.  Tliey  form  a  sort  of  breakwater  to  the  bay,  and  the  eastern 
portion  of  the  latter  beijig  covered  with  shoals,  the  two  together  make 
a  tol(;rably  safe  anchorage  within. 

A  little  east  of  south,  from  the  northeasterly  extremity  of  the  rocks, 
stands  Fort  English,  distant  rather  more  than  a  mile,  on  an  angle  of 
the  coast,  that  may  be  said  to  form  the  eastern  point  of  the  bay, 
though  it  is  by  no  means  as  much  advanced  as  the  western.  The 
main  entrance  is  between  the  end  of  the  rocks  and  the  shoals  towards 
Fort  English,  the  water  beingdeep,  and  the  passage  near  half  a  mile 
wide.  Thus  a  vessel  coming  from  sea,  would  steer  about  southwest 
in  entering,  and  would  be  exposed  to  a  raking  fire  from  the  castle,  the 
mole,  and  all  the  adjacent  batteries,  and  a  cross  fire  from  Fort  Eng- 
lish. There  is,  however,  an  entrance  by  the  passage  between  the 
natural  mole  and  the  rocks,  or  through  the  open  space  already  mrn- 
fioned.  This  is  called  the  western,  or  the  little  entrance  ;  it  mtiy  -e 
six  or  eight  hundred  foet  in  width 


and  the  vessels  using  it  are  oblig- 


Iier, 

StUM( 
SOOI 

end. 
Tl 
peac( 
tlein; 
niifo 
Jistei 
ic.in 
for 
party 
cndiii 
Tl. 
nnd  I- 
niodo 
A/o-er, 
Enter 
Tripo 
Malta 
Aft 


1803.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


213 


of 

Mie 
irtla 
iiile 
Ivcst 
,the 
Ing- 
the 
T.- 
..,e 
bilg- 


ed to  pnss  close  to  the  batteries  of  the  natural  and  the  artificial  moles. 
As  they  round  the  mole-head,  they  open  those  of  the  castle  and  of 
tlie  town  also. 

In  addition  to  the  fixed  batteries  of  the  place,  were  the  gun-boats 
and  giiiieys.  These  bouts  were  large  vessels  of  their  class,  latine- 
rigired,  capable  ofgoing  to  sea  on  emergencies,  as  one  of  their  princi- 
pal occupations  had  been  to  convoy  along  the  coast.  Several  that 
were  subsequently  examined  by  the  American  officers,  had  a  brass 
gun  llj  feet  long,  with  a  bore  to  receive  a  shot  that  weighed  29 
jmunds,  mounted  in  the  bows,  besides  two  brass  howitzers  aft.  The 
guns  were  fine  pieces,  and  weighed  6600  pounds.  When  not  other- 
wise engaged,  the  gun-boats  were  commonly  moored  just  within  the 
rocks,  and  without  the  artificial  mole,  where  they  answered  the  pur- 
pose of  additional  batteries  to  command  the  entrance.  By  this  dis- 
position of  his  means  of  defence,  the  Bashaw  could,  at  all  times  open 
afire  of  heavy  guns  afloat,  on  any  vessel  that  ventured  close  in,  in 
addition  to  that  of  his  regular  works.  There  were  two  or  three  liffht 
cruisers  moored  in  the  upper  part  of  the  harbour,  that  could  be  of 
little  use  except  as  against  attacks  within  the  rocks,  and  two  galleys. 
On  emergencies,  the  smaller  vessels  could  take  shelter  behind  the 
rocks,  wljere  they  were  nearly  protected  from  fire. 

At  the  time  of  which  we  are  writing,  the  gun-boats  were  stationed 
well  out,  near  the  rocks  and  the  mole,  in  a  manner  to  admit  of  their 
giving  and  receiving  a  fire  ;  and  on  the  afternoon  of  the  28tli  of  May, 
tlie  preparations  having  been  previously  made,  a  signal  was  shown 
from  the  New  York,  for  the  John  Adams  to  bear  down  upon  the  en- 
emy and  commence  an  attack.     Caj)tain  Rodgers  obeyed  the  order 
with  promptitude,  taking  a  position  within  reach  of  grape,  but  owing 
to  the  lightJtessof  the  wind,  the  two  other  ships  were  unable  to  second 
her,  as  was  intended.     In  consequence  of  these  unforeseen  circum- 
stances, the  attack  proved  a  failure,  in  one  sense,  though  the  boats 
soon  withdrew  behind  the  rocks,  and  night  brought  the  aflair  to  an 
end.     It  is  believed  that  neither  party  suffered  much  on  this  occa      a. 
The  next  day  Commodore  Morris  made  an  attempt  to  negotiate  a 
peace,  through  the  agency  of  M.  Nissen,  the  Danish  consul,  a  gen- 
tleman who,  on  all  occasions,  ap[)ears  to  have  been  the  friend  of  the 
unfortunate,  and  active  in  doing  good.     To  this  proposal  the  Bey 
listened,  and  one  of  his  ministers  was  empowered  to  meet  the  Amer- 
ican connnander  on  the  subject.     Having  received  ])roper  pledges 
for  liis  safe  return,  Commodore  Morris  landed  in  person,  and  each 
parry  presented  its  outlines  of  a  treaty.     The  result  was  an  abrupt 
ending  of  the  negotiation. 

This  occurred  on  the  8th  of  .Tune,  and  on  the  10th,  the  New  York 
and  l-iUterprise  left  the  station,  for  Malta.  At  the  latter  pkice.  Com- 
modore Morris  received  intelliijence  concerning  the  movements  of  the 
Algerinc  and  Tunisian  corsairs,  that  induced  him  to  despatch  the 
Enterprise,  with  orders  to  Captain  Rodgers  to  raise  the  blockade  of 
Tripoli,  and  to  join  him,  as  soon  ns  circumstances  would  permit,  a*' 
Malta. 

After  the  departure  of  the  flag-ship,  the  .John  Adams  28,  Captain 


214 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1803. 


tl 


Rodgcrs,  niid  tlie  Ailums  28,  Captain  Campbell,  composed  the  force 
left  before  the  enemy's  port.  The  speedy  return  of  the  Enterprise 
12,  which  was  then  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Commandant  Hull, 
who  had  succeeded  Lieutenant  Commandant  Sterrett,  added  that 
light  vessel  to  the  squadron.  Some  movements  in  the  harbour,  on 
the  evening  of  the  2l8t  of  June,  induced  Captain  Rodgers,  the  senior 
officer  present,  to  suspect  that  it  was  intended  to  get  a  cruiser  to  sea 
that  night,  or  to  cover  the  return  of  one  to  port.  With  a  view  to 
defeat  cither  of  tlicse  plans,  the  Adams  was  sent  to  the  westward,  the 
Enterprise  to  the  eastward,  while  the  John  Adams  remained  in  the 
offing. 

On  the  following  morning,  about  7  o'clock,  the  Enterprise' was 
seen  to  the  southward  and  eastward  with  a  signal  flying  of  an  enemy. 
At  that  moment,  the  John  Adams  was  a  few  leagues  out  at  sea,  and 
it  was  8  o'clock  before  the  two  vessels  could  speak  each  other.  Cap- 
tain Rodgers  now  found  that  a  large  ship  belonging  to  the  Rashaw, 
had  run  into  a  deep  narrow  bay,  about  seven  leagues  to  the  eastward 
of  Tripoli,  where  she  had  taken  a  very  favourable  position  for  defence, 
and  anchored  with  springs  on  her  cable.  At  the  same  time  it  M'as 
ascertained  that  nine  gtin-boats  were  sweeping  along  the  shore,  to 
aid  in  defending  her,  while,  as  usual,  a  large  body  of  cavalry  was 
hovering  about  the  coast,  to  resist  any  attack  by  means  of  boats.  The 
ship  was  known  to  be  the  largest  of  the  Rey's  remaining  corsairs, 
mounting  22  guns,  and  she  was  very  full  of  men. 

Captain  Rodgers  owed  the  opportunity  that  now  oflcredto  attack 
his  enemy,  to  the  steadiness  and  gallantry  of  Lieutenant  Command- 
ant Hull,  who,  on  making  his  adversary  at  daylight,  had  cut  him  off 
from  the  town,  with  a  spirit  that  did  infinite  credit  to  that  officer. 
The  Tripohtan  was  treble  the  force  of  the  Enterprise,  and  had  he 
chosen  to  engage  th(!  schooner,  Mr.  Hull  would,  probably,  have  been 
obliged  to  sacrifice  his  little  vessel,  in  order  to  prevent  his  enemy  from 
getting  into  port. 

The  dispositions  of  Captain  Rodgers  were  soon  made.  He  stood 
in,  with  the  Enterprise  in  company,  until  the  John  Adams  was  within 
point-blank  shot  of  the  enemy,  when  she  opened  her  fire.  A  smart 
cannonade  was  maintained  on  both  sides,  for  forty-five  minutes,  when 
the  ])eople  of  the  corsair  abandoned  their  guns,  with  so  much  pre- 
cipitation, that  great  numbers  leaped  overboard,  and  swam  to  the 
shore.  The  .Tohn  Adams  was  now  in  quarter-less-five,  by  the  load, 
and  she  wore  with  her  head  off  shore.  At  the  sanje  time,  the  En- 
terprise was  ordered  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  enemy  on  the 
beach,  while  boats  could  be  got  out  to  take  possession  of  the  aban- 
doned ship.  But  a  boat  returning  to  the  corsair,  the  John  Adams 
tacked  and  renewed  her  fire.  In  a  few  minutes  the  colours  of  the 
corsair  were  haided  down,  and  all  her  guns  were  discharged  ;  those 
which  were  pointed  towards  the  Americans,  and  those  Aviiich  were 
pointed  towards  the  land.     At  the  next  moment  she  blew  np. 

The  explosion  was  very  heavy,  and  it  tore  tli»  hull  of  tlu^  Tripoli- 
tan  entirely  to  pieces.  The  two  after-masts  were  forced  into  the  an* 
to  twice  their  usual  height,  with  all  the  yards,  rigging,  and  hamper 


ev 

ins 

II 


and 


1804.] 


NAVAL  IIISTOIIY. 


215 


attuciiL'd.  The  cause  of  this  explosion  is  unknown,  thoui^h  it  might 
have  been  thought  intentional,  were  it  not  for  the  fact  thut  the  people 
of  the  bout  thut  hud  returned  to  her,  were  blown  up  in  the  ship,  none 
having  left  her  after  their  arrival.  As  the  shot  of  the  John  Adams 
were  seen  to  hull  the  enemy  repeatedly,  the  corsair  is  also  supposed 
to  have  sustained  a  severe  loss  before  her  people  first  abandoned  '    •*. 

The  John  Adams  and  Enterprise  attemi)ted  to  cutotf  the  divib.  a 
of  gun-boats,  but  found  the  water  shoal  too  far  to  seaward  of  them, 
to  render  the  lire  of  their  guns  effective.  Knowing  the  whole  coast 
intimately,  the  latter  were  enabled  to  escape. 

The  ships  before  Trijjoli,  in  obedience  to  the  orders  of  Commodore 
Morris,  now  sailed  for  Malta  to  join  that  officer,  when  the  whole 
squadron  proceeded  to  different  ports  in  Italy,  together.  From  Leg- 
horn, the  John  Adams  was  sent  down  to  the  straits  with  a  convoy  ; 
the  Adams  to  Tunis  and  Gibraltar,  and  the  Enterprise  back  to  Malta, 
in  quest  of  despatches.  Soon  after,  the  New  York,  herself,  wen* 
below,  touching  at  Malaga,  Aviiere  Commodore  Morris  found  letters 
of  recall.  The  command  was  left  temporarily  with  Captain  Rodgers, 
who  hoisted  a  broad  pennant  in  the  New  York,  while  Commodore 
Morris  took  charge  of  the  Adams,  to  proceed  to  America.  Captain 
Campbell,  late  of  the  Adams,  was  transferred  to  the  John  Adams. 

Commodore  Morris  reached  home  on  the  21st  of  November,  1803; 
and  the  government,  which  professed  great  dissatisfaction  at  the 
manner  in  which  he  had  employed  the  force  intrusted  to  his  discre- 
tion, demanded  the  usual  explanations.  These  explanations  no* 
proving  satisfactory,  a  Court  of  Inquiry*  was  convened,  by  order  of 
the  department,  dated  March  10th,  1804,  and  the  result  was  an  opin 
ion  that  this  officer  had  not  discovered  due  diligence  and  activity  in 
annoying  the  enemy,  on  various  occasions,  between  the  8th  of  Janu 
ary,  1S03,  and  the  period  of  the  expiration  of  his  command.  In 
consequence  of  the  finding  of  the  Court  of  Inquiry,  the  president  dis- 
missed Commodore  Morris  from  the  navy. 

Whatever  may  be  thought  of  the  justice  of  the  opinion  of  the 
court,  there  can  be  little  question  that  the  act  of  the  executive,  in  this 
instance,  was  precipitate  and  wrong.  The  power  of  removal  from 
office  is  given  to  the  president  to  be  exerc'^ed  only  on  important 
occasions,  and  for  the  public  good  ;  and  it  has  been  much  question- 
ed, whether  the  power  itself  is  salutary,  in  the  cases  of  military  men. 
The  civilian  who  does  not  do  his  duty,  must  be  replaced  immedi- 
ately, or  the  office  virtually  becomes  vacant,  but  no  such  pressing 
necessity  exists  in  the  army  and  navy,  as  subordinates  are  always 
ready  temporarily  to  discharge  the  duties  of  their  superiors.  In  the 
navy,  this  necessity  is  still  less  striking  than  in  the  army,  since  offi- 
cers of  the  same  rank  are  never  wanting  to  fill  vacancies. 

But  there  is  a  far  higher  consideration  why  no  military  man  should 
ever  be  deprived  of  his  commission,  except  in  very  extraordinary 
instances,  unless  by  a  solemn  trial  and  a  formal  finding  of  a  court. 
His  prolortsion  is  the  business  of  a  life  ;  his  conduct  is  at  all  times 

*  This  court  cnnsistoil  of  Captiiin  S.  Barron,  President;  Captain  Hus-h  G.  Campbell, 
and  Licaienaiit  Joliu  Cussiu.     Walter  Joiius,  Jun.  Esquire,  Judge  Advocate. 


1. 


I. 


I 


I 


:j 


216 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


subject  to  n  severe  nnd  cxnctiiiir  code,  and  dismission  infers  diHirracc. 
So  ffeneral,  indeed,  is  the  opinion  that  every  officer  is  entitle(l  to  be 
tried  by  his  peers,  that  greater  dis<^race  is  apt  to  attach  itself  to  an 
arbitrary  dismission,  by  an  exercise  of  executive  power,  than  to  the 
sentence  of  a  court  itself,  since  the  fnst  onj>ht  oidy  to  proc«'ed  from 
conduct  so  flagrantly  wrong,  as  to  supersede  even  the  necessity  of 
trial.  There  was  another  motive  that  ought  to  have  weighed  with 
the  government,  before  it  resorted  to  the  use  of  so  high  a  power. 
The  gentlemen  whocompose*!  the  Court  of  Inquiry  on  Commodore 
Morris,  were  his  juniors  in  rank,  and  one  was  his  inferior.  Although 
the  characters  of  these  officers  were  above  suspicion,  as  to  motives, 
the  accused,  on  general  principles,  had  a  perfect  right  to  the  benefit 
of  the  exception,  and  was  entitled  to  demand  all  the  forms  of  the  ser- 
vice, before  he  was  finally  condennied. 

It  has,  more  or  less,  been  n  leading  defect  of  the  civil  administra- 
tion of  the  military  affairs  of  the  American  government,  that  too  little 
of  professioiml  feeling  has  presided  in  its  councils,  the  men  who  are 
elevated  to  political  power,  in  popular  governments,  seldom  entering 
fully  into  the  tone  and  motives  of  those  who  are  alive  to  the  sensibil- 
ities of  military  pride.  One  of  the  consequences  of  this  influence  of 
those  who  have  merely  the  habits  of  civilians,  on  the  fortunes  of  men 
so  differently  educated,  is  to  be  traced  in  the  manner  in  which  the 
executive  authority  just  alluded  to  has  been  too  often  wielded  ;  pre- 
senting on  one  side  cx])arte  decisions  that  have  been  more  character- 
ised by  precipitation  and  petulance,  than  by  dignity,  justice,  or  dis- 
cretion ;  and  on  the  other,  by  a  feebleness  that  has  too  often  shrunk 
from  sustaining  true  discipline,  by  refusing  to  confirm  the  decisions 
of  courts  that  have  deliberately  heard  and  dispassionately  sentenced. 

The  death  of  Commodore  Barry,*  the  resignations  of  Commodore 
Dale,t  and  Commodore  Truxtun,  with  the  dismissals  of  Commodore 

*  John  Barry  was  a  native  of  the  county  of  Wexford,  Ireland,  where  r.e  »va3  burn  in 
174r).  Ho  rnnie  to  America  a  youth,  having  adopted  the  life  of  asoamiin  as  ii  piofession. 
Circumstances  early  brought  him  into  notice,  and  he  was  one  of  the  first  oPIi-ers  appoint- 
ed to  a  command  in  the  navy  of  the  united  colonies.  In  command  of  the  Lexington  14, 
lie  took  the  Edward  tender,  after  a  smart  action,  in  1776.  in  1777,  he  performed  aliand- 
some  exploit  in  the  Delaware,  at  the  head  of  four  boats,  carrj-ing  an  enemy's  man-of-war 
schooner  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  For  a  nhort  time,  he  also  served  with  the  army, 
during  the  eventful  campaig:'>  in  New  Jersey.  In  1778,  he  made  a  most  gallant  resistance 
against  a  superior  force,  in  the  Raleigh  U2,  losing  his  ship,  bu*  saving  most  of  his  crew. 
In  n?!,  in  the  Alliance  U2,  he  took  the  Atalanta  and  Trepassy,  after  a  bloody  combat,  in 
which  he  was  severely  wounded.  In  1782,  he  fought  a  close  buttle  with  an  English  ship 
in  the  West  Indies,  being  driven  offby  a  superior  force  that  was  in  sight.  At  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  new  marine,  under  the  present  government  in  1794,  Ca[)tain  Harry  was 
named  the  senior  officer,  in  which  station  he  died. 

Commodore  Barry,  as  an  officer  and  a  man,  ranked  very  high.  His  affection  to  his 
adopted  country  was  never  doubteii,  and  vas  put  to  the  proof,  as  the  Briti-ili  govcinnient 
is  .said  to  have  bid  high  to  detach  him  from  its  service,  during  the  Revolution.  He  died 
childless  and  greatly  resi)ecled,  September  18th,  ISO.'l,  iri  tlie  city  of  I'liihulelphia,  wliere 
he  had  niiide  bis  home,  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  the  country,  and  where  ho  had 
married. 

t  Richard  Dale  was  born  in  the  year  17.")7,  at  a  short  distance  from  Norfolk  in  the  col- 
ony of  V  irginia.  He  went  to  sea  young,  and  was  mate  of  a  ves.sel  in  177.").  After  serv- 
ing a  short  lime  irregularly  Mr.  Dale  Joined  the  United  States  brig  Lexington  in  July, 
177(i,  as  a  midshipman.  When  the  Lexington  was  taken  by  the  Pearl,  Mr.  Dale  was  left 
in  till':  brig,  and  he  was  active  in  her  recapture.  The  succeeding  year  he  sailed,  as  a  mas- 
ter's mate,  in  the  Lexington  ;  was  in  her,  in  her  cruise  round  Ireland,  and  was  captured 
iu  lior  by  the  Alert,  after  a  long  action.    Mr.  Dale  escaped  frcm  Mill  prison  in  February, 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


tn 


as 

>nt 
ted 

I'l'e 
tad 


Morris,*  and  Captain  IVrNicll,  reduced  the  list  of  captains  to  hum, 
the  number  named  in  the  reduction  law,  for  that  act  does  not  .i|  nr 
to  have  been  rigidly  regarded  from  the  moment  of  its  passage.  Alter 
the  death  of  Commodore  Barry,  Commodore  S.  Nicholson  became 
the  senior  officer  of  the  service,  making  the  second  member  of  the 
same  family  who  had  filled  that  honourable  station. 

1778,  was  rctakon  in  London,  and  iont  back  to  confinement.  For  on  entire  year  he 
remiiim-rl  a  captive,  when  ho  escaped  a  ioeond  time, and  succeeded  in  roacliinj^  Franco. 
Hero  he  joined  tiio  celebrated  squadron  fitting  under  Paul  Jones,  an  olHeer  vvlio  soon 
diMi'overed  iiis  merit,  and  made  him  first  lieutenant  of  his  own  ship,  the  lion  Hummo 
Rioliard.  The  conduct  of  Mr.  Dale  in  that  capacity,  is  recorded  in  the  te.\i.  Aftr-r  the 
cruise  in  the  squadron  ho  went  through  the  British  Channel  with  his  commander  in  thu 
Alliance  :ia,  and  subsequently  came  to  America  with  him  in  the  Ariel  iiO,  in  17H0.  Mr. 
Dale  was  not  yet  twenty-threo  years  old,  and  ho  appears  now  to  have  first  obtained  the 
commission  ot  a  lieutenant  in  the  navy  from  the  government  at  home,  that  nnder  which 
hehud  pniviously  acted  having  been  issued  in  Europe. 

Mr.  Dale  does  not  appear  to  have  served  any  more,  in  public  vessels,  during  the  war 
of  tlio  llevolution,  but  in  17'J4,  ho  was  commissioned  as  the  fourth  captain,  in  the  jjresent 
marine.  Captain  Dale  commanded  the  Ganges  20,  the  first  vessel  that  w(mt  to  sea  un- 
der the  new  organisation.  He  continued  but  a  short  time  in  this  ship,  getting  a  furlough 
in  17!)!),  to  make  an  East  India  voyage.  In  1801,  ho  made  the  cruise  iiilhe  Mediterrane- 
an which  has  been  related  in  the  body  of  this  work,  as  commander  of  the  squadron,  and 
the  following  year  ho  resiened. 

Few  men  passed  youths  more  chequered  with  stirring  incidents  than  Commodore 
Dale,  and  few  men  spent  the  evening  of  their  days  more  tranquilly.  On  (luitting  tho 
navy,  he  remained  in  Philadelphia,  in  tho  enjoyment  of  a  spotless  name,  a  competency, 
and  a  tranquil  mind,  up  to  the  liour  of  his  deat)i,  which  event  occurred  February  '.24th, 
1826,  in  the  OQihyear  of  his  age. 

Commodore  Dale  had  tho  reputation  of  being  both  a  good  officer  and  a  good  seaman. 
Ho  was  cool,  bravo,  modest,  and  just.  Notwithstanding  his  short  service  in  the  present 
marine,  he  has  left  behind  him  a  character  that  all  respected,  while  none  envy. 

*  llichanl  Valentino  Morris  belonged  to  one  of  the  historical  families  of  the  country, 
which  ha«  been  seated  a  century  and  a  half  at  Morrissania,  in  West  Chester  county.  New 
York.  He  was  the  youngest  son  of  Lewis  Morris,  of  Morrissania,  who  was  one  of  tho 
siarners  of  tho  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  he  early  adopted  the  sea  as  a  profession. 
Without  having  had  an  opportunity  of  seeing  much  service,  the  great  iniluonce  and  fair 
pretensions  of  his  family,  caused  him  to  be  appointed  to  the  station  of  tlie  ninih  captain 
m  the  new  navy,  his  commission  having  been  dated  June  7th,  1798.  Captain  Morris  waa 
probably  the  youngest  man,  among  those  originally  named  to  the  rank  he  held,  but  ho 
acquitted  himself  with  credit,  in  the  command  of  tho  Adams  28,  during  the  war  with 
France.  At  tho  reduction  of  the  navy,  in  1801,  Captain  Morris  was  retained  as  the  fifth 
in  rank,  and  his  selection  to  command  tho  Mediterranean  squadron  was  due  to  his  place 
on  tlie  list ;  tho  age  and  state  of  health  of  the  few  officers  above  him,  rendering  them  in- 
disposed to  actual  service  of  the  nature  on  which  he  was  sent. 

The  fault  of  Commodore  Morris  in  managing  the  force  entrusted  to  him,  was  merely 
one  of  judgment,  for  neither  his  zeal  nor  his  courage  was  ever  questioned.  Ha<l  he  been 
regularly  tried  by  a  court-martial,  a  reprimand,  in  all  probability,  would  have  been  the 
extent  of  the  punishment ;  and  it  is  due  to  his  character,  to  add,  that  his  dismissal  from 
the  navy  has  usually  been  deemed  a  high-handed  political  measure,  rather  than  a  mili- 
tary condenuiation.  He  lived  respected,  and  died  in  his  original  position  i?<  life,  while 
attending  the  legislature  at  Albany,  in  1814.  He  was  considered  a  good  oilicer,  in  gen- 
eral, and  was  a  seaman  of  very  fair  pretensions. 


Jol- 
Irv- 
llv, 
left 

las- 
Jed 

17. 


I 


218 


NAVAL  IIISTOllV. 


[1803. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Potir  Kiniill  cru'inon  Imilt — Mcditi'munMin  miniiilnin,  unrlcr  Com.  Pri'l>li> — riipt.  nnin- 
bri(lk(t>  liiki'Ntlii'  Hiuiniry  crtiiMT,  MchIiIioIiii — ath-rwanlH  rotiikcM  Iht  pri/c  tlic  (Julia 
of  Huston— Dilllcultifs  will)  Miirorco  nottluil— Uoiiiurk*  on  tliu  uiipoiiitiiniit  of  Cum. 
Prubli- — Auccdolo  a-upccliug  hiin. 

Tin:  jjovornmcnt  booh  beciuiH!  nwiiro  of  the  nccrsHity  of  possess- 
insr  suiMu  li^lit  cruistTs,  which  tu  a  iniiriiie,  ure  what  tht^  eves  and 
nerves  arc  to  iiu'ti.  Without  vessels  of  this  character,  a  eoiiiiiiaiidtT 
couKI  never  cuiiduct  a  vi|;orous  hlockaih',  hkc  that  nMpiired  hefore 
Tripoh,  ill  particular ;  and  a  law  passed  February,  IHOJ},  authorisiiiff 
the  construction  of  two  liri<;s  and  two  schooners.  In  the  course  of 
the  sprinjr  of  that  year,  these  vessi'ls  were  liuilt,  and  the  navy  received 
an  addition  to  its  list,  of  the  Artrus  10,  Siren  10,  Nautihis  1*^,  and 
Vixen  1:2.  The  two  former  were  beautiful  aiul  very  etlicient  brills, 
mounting  10  twenty-four-pound  carn)nades,  and  "2  lonjr  twelves  ; 
and  the  two  latter  were  schooners,  carryinjf  1'2  eii^hteen-pouiul  car- 
ronades,  and  '2  liifht  Jong  i?ii"s»  each.  Tliey  were  all  hnely  mod- 
elled andserviceable  vessels  of  their  si/e,  and  are  intimately  as.soeiated 
with  the  earlier  traditions  of  the  navy.  There  was  n  singular  con- 
formity in  their  fates,  also,  the  whole  four  in  the  end,  falling  into  the 
hands  of  their  enemies. 

When  Commodore  Morris  was  recalled,  the  necessity  of  sending 
out  a  new  s(|uadron  was  foreseen,  the  time  of  the  crews  belonging  to 
the  ships  left  under  the  orders  of  Commodore  Rodgers  being  so 
nearly  u|).  Indeed  the  latter  officer,  when  he  hoisted  his  broad 
pennant,  was  notified  that  n  successor  must  necessarily  soon  arrive. 
The  new  s<piadron  was  so  differently  organised  from  the  two  which 
hud  preceded  it,  as  to  leave  little  doubt  that  the  administration  had 
discovered  the  error  which  had  been  made  in  sending  so  many  light 
frigates  on  this  service  ;  vessels  that  were  neorly  useless  in  a  bom- 
bardment, while  they  could  not  command  the  shores,  and  that  had 
no  other  quality  particularly  suited  to  the  warfare  in  which  they  were 
engaged,  than  a  fitness  to  convoy.  For  the  latter  employment,  «'ven, 
the  same  force  distributed  in  twice  the  number  of  vessels,  would  have 
been  much  more  efficient  and  safe. 

The  shii)s  now  seh.'ctod  to  carry  on  the  war  against  Tripoli,  were 
of  ill!  eiitinly  diflerent  description.  They  consisted  of  the  Constitu- 
tion 44,  Philadelphia  88,  Argus  10,  Siren  10,  Nautilus  1"J,  Vixen 
1"2,  and  Kiiterprise  1'2.  The  latt(U'  was  already  on  the  station,  and  it 
Was  intended  to  keep  her  there,  by  sending  out  men  to  supply  the 
places  of  thos(!  who  declined  to  enter  anew.  As  usual,  these  ves.-els 
sailed  as  they  were  ready  ;  the  Nautilus  12,  Lieutenant  Commandiint 
Somers,  being  the  first  that  got  to  sea.  This  schooner  reached 
Gil»raltar  on  the  27th  of  July,  180)3.  She  was  soon  followed  liy  the 
Phila(lel|)liia  .18,  Cajjtain  IJainbriilge,  which  anchored  at  the  same 
place,  A  ugust  24th.     The  Constitution  44,  bearing  the  broad  pennant 


1803J 


NAVAL  HiaTOUY. 


219 


of  f'ommcMlorc  Prchlr,  who  liiul  Immmi  rliisni  to  cotniimiKl  tin-  «(|tiiuU 
roii,  ;u'i'iv«'(l  Scptnnliii'  I'JtIi  ;  the  Vixni  |*i,  liii'iitcimiit  ('iiiiiiikiikI- 
luit  Sinitli,  Scptciiilx  r  lltli ;  tlio  Sirnt  10,  liinitniiiiit  (^oniniuiii]- 
aiit  Sti'wui't,  (hrtolwr  1st,  iind  tin;  Ar^iis  1({,  liiciitcimiit  roiiiiiiiiii(l- 
iuit  Dt'catiir, Novnuhn  1st.  When  tlii<  la.st  ti'll  iiiwitlitlic  KiitrrpriHc, 
Mr.  Dt'catiii' took  coiiuiihiuI  of  that  HchooixT,  t;ivitiK  (ip  ihi;  hri<r,  hy 
urraii;r<>iii(>iit,  to  Mr.  Hull,  who  was  his  senior  ufltccr. 

Th(!  l*liihi(h-l|ihia  hardy  touched  at  (iihraltar,  hut  hrariiii;  that 
two  Tripohtans  Wire  «riiis'mj(  (»tVCap<!  dc;  Gatt,  Captain  Hainhridjro 
pro(M'i<(h-d,  without  'My,  in  ([ui^st  of  thcui.  Ou  the  iii<;ht  of  the  ^iOtli 
of  AuiruHt,  l)h)win^  iVc-Hh,  two  Hail  wcrt;  math;  from  thi;  I'hihidclphia, 
unch'r  Capi;  do  Gutt ;  the  hirjyrst  of  which,  a  ship,  was  carryinj;  noth- 
iu}(  hut  a  foro  course.  Ou  ruuuiu;r  ah)u<;si(h!  tliis  vessel,  and  haiUuf^, 
with  a  ^ood  deal  of  difliculty.  Captain  Bainlirid^e  learned  that  tlio 
Htranjfer  was  a  IJarhary  cruiser.  I-'urther  exaniiinilion  discovt.-red 
that  this  vessel  heloiifred  to  the  Fiinperor  of  IMoro<;co,  and  that  she 
was  the  Meshhoha  '/2'2,  coniiuauded  hy  Ihrahini  Luhare/,  and  had  a 
crew  of  «)ne  hundred  and  twenty  nn-n. 

Tluf  Moors  were  made  to  helieve  that  the  Philadelphia  was  nn 
English  frigate,  and  they  iulmitted  th:it  the  hrig  in  company  was  an 
Anjerican.  The  suspicions  of  Captain  IJainhridge  were  now  awak- 
ened, for  he  could  not  well  acccuint  for  the  hrigheing  under  so  little 
sail,  and  In;  i^ent  Mr.  Cox,  his  lir>t  lieutenant,  on  hoard  the  Moor,  to 
ascertain  if  there  wen;  any  jirisoners  in  his  ship.  When  the  hoat, 
with  the  ordinary  unarmed  crew,  reached  the  ]NI<'shhoha,  the  Moors 
refused  to  h^t  the  olHcer  conu,'  over  the  side.  Captain  IJainhridge 
now  directed  an  armed  force  to  go  into  the  hoat,  when  Mr.  Cox  suc- 
ceeded in  j'xecuting  his  orders,  without  further  opposition. 

IJjilow  deck,  the  hoarding  officer  found  the  unxster  and  crew  of  the 
hrig  in  company,  which  was  ascertaint^d  to  he  the  Celia  of  Boston, 
a  prize  to  the  Meshhoha.  The  hrig  had  heen  captured  near  Malaga, 
nine  days  before  ;  and  there  was  no  douht  that  the  Moors  were 
waiting  for  other  vessels,  Cape  (h;  Gatt  heing  a  headland  eommoidy 
mad(!  hy  every  thing  that  keeps  the  north  shore  of  the  Mediterranean 
aboard. 

Captain  Bainbridge  on  receiving  this  intelligence,  did  not  liesitatc 
about  taking  jjossession  of  the  Meshhoha.  Iler  people  could  not  all 
be  renjoved  until  near  daylight ;  and  during  the  time  that  was  occu- 
pied in  transferring  them  to  the  frigate,  the  brig  had  disappeared.  On 
the  afternoon  ofthe27ih,  however,  she  was  seen  doubling  the  cape, 
coming  from  the  eastward,  and  hugging  the  land,  while  she  st«;ered 
in  the  direction  of  Almeria,  probably  with  the  hope  of  g(!tting  to  the 
westward  of  the  ships,  in  order  to  run  to  Tangiers.  Owing  to  light 
winds,  it  was  midnight  before  she  could  be  re-taken. 

It  was  now  all  important  to  discover  on  what  authority  this  cai)ture 
had  been  made.  The  Moorish  commander,  at  first,  stated  that  ho 
had  taken  the  Celia,  in  antici|)atioii  of  a  war,  a  serious  misunder- 
standing existing  between  the  Emperor  and  the  American  consul, 
when  he  left  ])ort.  This  story  seemed  so  improbable  that  it  was  not 
believed,  and  Captain  Bainbridge  could  only  get  at  the  truth  by 


220 


NAVAL   HISTORY. 


[1803. 


threatening  to  execute  his  prisoiier  asn  j>irato,  unless  he  showed  his 
commission.  This  menace  prevailed,  and  Ibraliim  Luban;/  pre- 
sented an  order  from  the  Governor  of  Tanglers,  to  capture  all  Amer- 
icans that  he  might  fall  in  with. 

The  Philadelphia  returned  to  Gibraltar  with  her  prizes,  and  leav- 
ing the  latter,  she  went  off  Cape  St.  Vincent,  in  quest  of  a  Moorish 
frigate  that  was  said  to  be  cruising  there.  Not  succeeding  in  finding 
the  Moor,  Captain  Bainbridge  ran  throuj>li  the  straits  again,  and 
went  aloft.  While  at  Gibraltar,  Mr.  David  Porter  joined  him  as  first 
lieutenant.* 

Shortly  after  the  Philadelphia  had  gone  to  her  station  off  Tripoli, 
the  New  York  36,  Commodore  Rodgers,  and  the  John  Adams  28, 
Captain  Campbell,  reached  Gibraltar,  in  the  expectation  of  meeting 
the  new  flag-ship.  In  a  day  or  two  the  Constitution  came  in,  as  did 
the  Nautilus,  which  had  been  giving  convoy  up  the  Mediterranean. 
As  soon  as  Commodore  Preble  was  ajjprised  of  the  facts  connected 
with  the  capture  of  the  Mcshbolm,  he  saw  the  necessity  of  dis])osing 
of  the  question  with  Morocco,  before  he  left  the  entrance  of  the  Med- 
iterraneai5  again  open,  by  going  ofi'  Tri[)oIi.  Commodore  Rodgers 
was  the  senior  officer,  and  his  authority  in  those  seas  had  properly 
ceased,  but,  in  the  handsomest  maniKM",  he  consented  to  accomjiany 
Commodore  Preble  to  Tangiers,  leaving  the  latter  his  power  to  act, 
as  negotiator  and  commander-in-chief.  Accordingly  tin;  Constitution 
44,  New  York  36,  John  Adams  28,  an>l  Nautilus  12,  went  into  the 
Bay  of  Tangiers,  October  the  6th,  1803.  Commodore  Preble,  on 
this  occasion,  discovered  that  promptitude,  spirit  and  discretion, 
which  were  afterwards  so  conspicuous  in  his  character  ;  and  after  a 
short  negotiation,  the  relations  of  the  two  countries  were  placed  on 
their  former  auiicable  footing.  The  commodore  had  an  interview 
with  the  Emperor,  which  terminated  in  the  ha])piest  results.  On  the 
part  of  Morocco,  the  act  of  the  Governor  of  Tangiers  was  disavowed; 
an  American  vessel  that  had  been  detained  at  Mogadore,  was 
released ;  and  the  Emperor  affixed  his  seal  anew  to  the  treaty  of 
1786.  The  commodore  then  gave  up  the  Meshboha,  and  it  was  also 
agreed  to  return  the  Meshouda,  the  ship  taken  by  the  John  Adams. 
Congress,  in  the  end,  however,  appropriated  an  equivalent  to  the 
captors  of  those  two  vessels,  in  lieu  of  prize-money. 

As  soon  as  the  difficulties  with  Morocco  were  settled,  Commodore 
Rodgers  sailed  for  America;  and  Commodore  Preble  devoted  him- 
self with  energy  and  prudence  in  making  his  preparations  to  bring 
Tripoli  to  terms.  The  latter  had  an  arduous  task  before  him;  and 
its  difficulties  were  increased  by  the  circumstance  that  he  was  per- 
sonally known  to  scarcely  an  officer  under  his  command.  Dtn'ing 
the  war  with  France,  the  ships  had  been  principally  officered  froui 
the  states  in  which  they  had  been  bnilt,  and  Captain  Preble,  acitizen 
of  New  Hampshire,  had  hitherto  commanded  vessels  und»'r  these 
circumstances.  lie  had  sailed  for  the  East  Indies  in  1800,  in  the 
Essex  32,  and  had  been  much  renmved  from  the  rest  of  the  navy,  in 

"Wliili'  tlio  ship  lay  nt  Gil)i';illnr,  tliivebrniid  pennants  worn  flyinrr  on  hniwi]  llicin, 
that  of  Coniinodon;  Prcblo,  tliiit  of  Coiinnodorc  Morris,  and  lliat  of  Coniinoilori;  Itodi-'crs. 


I 

I 


ind 
>cr- 

lOPl 

/.cu 
jcsc 
Ithe 
Lin 

llcTtl, 

I'ors. 


1803.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


221 


the  course  of  his  service.  By  one  of  those  accidents  that  so  often  in- 
fluence the  affairs  of  life,  all  the  commanders  placed  under  the  orders 
of  Commodore  Preble,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Hull,  came  from 
the  middle  or  the  southern  states;  and  it  is  believed  that  most  of  them 
had  never  even  seen  their  present  commander,  until  they  went  in 
person  to  report  themselves  and  their  vessels.  This  was  not  only 
true  of  the  commanders,  but  a  large  portion  of  the  subordinate  officers, 
also,  were  in  the  same  situation ;  even  most  of  those  in  the  Consti- 
tution herself,  having  been  personally  strangers  to  the  commander 
of  the  squadron.*  The  period  was  now  approaching  when  the  force 
about  to  be  employed  before  Tripoli,  was  to  assemble,  and  a  service 
was  in  perspective  that  promised  to  let  the  whole  squadron  into  the 
secret  of  its  commander's  character.  Previously  to  relating  the 
events  that  then  occurred,  however,  it  will  be  necessary  to  return  to 
the  movements  of  the  Philadelphia  38,  Captain  Bainbridge. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 


Blockade  of  Tripoli  resumed — Loss  of  tlie  Philadelphia  on  a  reef— Captain  Bainbridp;e 
and  all  his  crew  made  prisoners— List  of  the  officers'  names — Humane  conduct  of  Mr. 
Nissen,  the  Danish  consul — The  Philadelphia  is  got  off  by  the  enemy — her  guns  and 
anchors  weighed — Capture  of  the  ketch  Maslico,  by  Lieut.  Comt^t.  Decatur — His 
unsuccessful  attempt  to  destroy  the  Philadelphia — His  second  attempt — Mr.  Charles 
Morris  is  the  first  on  her  deck — She  is  recaptured  and  burnt — Lieut.  Comdt.  Decatur 
is  raised  to  the  rank  of  Captain. 

It  has  been  seen  that  the  Philadelphia  captured  the  Meshboha,  on 
the  night  of  the  26th  of  August,  1803.  The  return  to  Gibraltar,  the 
run  off  Cape  Vincent,  and  the  passage  up  the  Mediterranean  brought 
it  late  in  the  season,  before  tliat  ship  could  reach  her  station.  Here 
the  Vi.xen  12,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Smith,  which  schooner  had 
arrived  at  Gibraltar  about  the  middle  of  September,  appeared  also, 

*  Commodore  Preble  was  a  man  of  high  temper,  and  a  rigid  disciplinarian.  At  first 
he  was  disliked  in  his  own  ship  ;  the  younger  officers  in  particular,  feeling  the  effect  of 
his  discipline  without  having  yet  learned  to  respect  the  high  professional  qualities  for 
which  he  afterwards  became  so  distinguished.  One  night  while  tnc  Constitution  was 
near  the  Straits  of  Gibraltar,  she  suddcnily  found  herself  alongside  a  large  ship.  Some 
hailing  passed,  withoutcithor  party's  giving  an  answer.  Commodore  Preble  now  hailed 
himself,  saying,  "  I  now  hail  you  for  the  last  time  ;  if  yoii  do  not  answer,  I'll  fire  a  shot 
into  you!"  "If  you  fire,  I'll  return  a  broadside,"  was  the  reply.  "I  should  like  to 
catch  you  at  that!  I  now  hail  for  an  answer— what  ship  is  that?"  "  This  is  H.  B.  M. 
S.  Donegal  84,  Sir  Richnrd  Strachan,  an  English  commodore.  Send  a  boat  on  board." 
To  which  Preble  answered,  "  This  is  tlu;  L'.  S.  S.  Constitution  44,  Edward  Preble,  an 
American  commodore,  and  1 11  be  d — d  if  I  send  a  boat  on  board  any  ship.  Blow  your 
jniitchos,  boys!"  After  a  short  panso,  Preblo  next  told  the  arranger  be  doubted  his 
Btntemcnt,  and  should  lie  by  him,  until  morning,  in  order  to  ascertain  his  real  character. 
He  was  as  good  as  hid  word,  but  in  a  short  time  a  boat  came  from  ihe  other  vessel  to  ex- 
plain. It  was  the  English  frigate,  Maidstone,  and  the  Constitution  had  got  so  suddenly 
and  unexpectedly  alongside  of  her,  that  the  hesitation  about  answering,  and  the  fictitious 
name,  i)roccede(i  from  a  desire  to  gain  time,  in  order  to  clear  the  ship,  and  to  get  to 
(piarters.  The  spirit  of  Commodore  Preble  on  this  occaion,  produced  a  very  favourable 
impression  in  his  own  ship:  the  young  men  pithily  rcmarkmg,  that  if  he  was  wrong  in 
liis  temper,  lio  was  right  in  his  heart. 


i 


i 


i ! 


222 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1803. 


and  the  blockade  was  resumed  by  these  two  vessels,  the  Enterprise 
having  gone  below.  Unfortunately,  soon  after  his  arrival,  Captain 
Bainbridge  sent  the  schooner  in  quest  of  n  Tripolitan  cruiser,  that  ho 
learned  from  the  master  of  a  neutral  had  got  to  sea  a  short  time  pre- 
viously. This  left  the  frigate  alone,  to  perform  a  very  dclicute  ser- 
vice, the  blockading  vessels  being  constantly  compelled  to  chnse 
in-shore. 

Towards  the  last  of  the  month  of  October,  the  wind,  which  lind 
been  strong  from  the  westward,  for  some  time  previously,  drove  the 
Philadelphia  a  considerable  distance  to  the  eastward  of  the  town, 
and  on  Monday,  October  the  31st,  as  she  was  running  down  to  her 
station  again,  with  a  fair  breeze,  about  nine  in  the  morning,  a  vessel 
was  seen  in-shore  and  to  windward,  standing  for  Tripoli.  Sail  was 
made  to  cut  her  off.  Believing  himself  to  be  within  long  gun-shot  u 
little  before  eleven,  and  seeing  no  other  chance  of  overtaking  the 
stranger  in  the  short  distance  that  remained,  Captain  Bainbridge 
opened  a  fire,  in  the  hope  of  cutting  something  away.  For  near  an 
hour  longer,  the  chase  and  the  fire  were  continued;  the  lead,  which 
was  constantly  kept  going,  giving  from  seven  to  ten  fathoms,  and  the 
ship  hauling  up  and  keeping  away,  as  the  water  shoaled  or  deepened. 
At  half  past  eleven,  Tripoli  then  being  in  plain  sight,  distant  a  little 
more  than  a  league,  satisfied  that  he  could  neither  overtake  the  chase, 
nor  force  her  ashore.  Captain  Bainbridge  ordered  the  helm  a-port,  to 
haul  directly  off  the  land  into  deep  water.  The  next  cast  of  the 
lead,  when  this  order  was  executed,  gave  but  eight  fathoms,  and  this 
was  immediately  followed  by  casts  that  gave  seven,  and  six  and  a 
half.  At  this  momment,  the  wind  was  nearly  abeam,  and  the  ship 
had  eight  knots  way  on  her.  When  the  cry  of  "  half-six"  was  heard, 
the  healm  was  put  hard  down,  and  the  yards  were  ordered  to  be 
braced  sharp  up.  While  the  ship  was  coming  up  fast  to  the  wind, 
and  before  she  had  lost  any  of  her  way,  she  struck  a  reef  forwards, 
and  shot  up  on  it,  until  she  lifted  between  five  and  six  feet. 

This  was  an  appalling  accident  to  occur  on  the  coast  of  such  an 
enemy,  at  that  season  of  the  year,  and  with  no  other  cruiser  near !  It 
was  first  attempted  to  force  the  vessel  ahead,  under  the  impression 
that  tlie  best  water  was  to  sea-ward ;  but  on  sounding  around  the  ship, 
it  was  found  that  she  had  run  up  with  such  force,  as  to  lie  nearly 
cradled  on  the  rocks,  there  being  only  14  feet  of  water  under  the 
fore  chains,  while  the  ship  drew,  before  striking,  18J  feet  forward. 
Astern  there  were  not  18  feet  of  water,  instead  of  20^,  which  the 
frigate  needed.  Such  an  accident  could  only  have  occurred  by  the 
vessel's  hitting  the  reef  at  a  spot  where  it  sloped  gradually,  and  where, 
most  probably  the  constant  washing  of  the  element,  had  rendered  the 
surface  smooth;  and  by  her  going  up,  on  the  top  of  one  of  those 
long,  heavy,  but  nearly  imperceptible  swells,  that  are  always  agi- 
tating the  bosom  of  the  ocean. 

The  vessel  of  which  the  Philadelphia  hiid  been  in  chase  was  a  large 
xebeck,  and  her  commander,  acquainted  with  the  coast,  stood  on, 
inside  of  the  reef,  doubled  the  edge  of  the  shoal,  and  reached  Tripoli 
in  safety.     The  firing,  however,  had  brought  out   nine  gun-boats. 


1803.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


223 


)sion 

ship, 

>arly 

|r  thu 

'urd. 

I)  the 

ly  the 

here, 

[l  thu 

ihosc 

ugi- 

largc 
i\  on, 
ripoli 
)oats. 


which  now  appeared,  turning  to  windward.  Not  a  moment  was  to 
be  lost,  as  it  would  shortly  be  in  the  power  of  these  vessels  to  assail 
the  frigate,  almost  with  impunity.  Finding,  on  further  examination, 
deep  water  astern,  the  yards  were  next  braced  aback,  and  the  guns 
were  run  aft,  in  the  equally  vain  hope  of  forcing  the  ship  astern,  or  to 
make  her  slide  off  the  sloping  rocks  on  which  she  had  run  so  hard. 
It  was  some  time,  before  this  project  was  abandoned,  as  it  was  the 
most  practicable  means  of  getting  afloat. 

On  a  consultation  with  his  officers.  Captain  Bainbridge  next  gave  > 
orders  to  throw  overboard  the  guns,  reserving  a  few  aft,  for  defence; 
the  anchors,  with  the  exception  of  the  larboard  bower,  were  cut  from 
the  bows.  Before  this  could  be  effected  the  enemy  came  within  gun- 
shot, and  opened  his  fire.  Fortunately,  the  Tripolitans  were  igno 
rant  of  the  desperate  condition  of  the  Philadelphia,  and  were  kept  a* 
a  respectful  distance,  by  the  few  guns  that  remained  ;  else  they  migh' 
have  destroyed  most  of  their  crew,  it  being  certain  that  the  colours 
would  not  be  struck,  so  long  as  there  was  any  hope  of  getting  the  ship 
afloat.  The  cannonade,  which  was  distant  and  inefficient,  and  the 
business  of  lightening  the  frigate  went  on  at  the  same  time,  and  oc- 
cupied several  hours. 

The  enemy  finally  became  so  bold,  that  they  crossed  the  stern  of  * 
the  frigate,  where  alone  they  were  at  all  exposed  to  her  fire,  and  took 
a  position  on  her  starboard,  or  weather  quarter.  Here  it  was  im- 
possible to  touch  them,  the  ship  having  heeled  to  port,  in  a  way  to 
render  it  impracticable  to  bring  a  single  gun  to  bear,  or,  indeed,  to 
use  one  at  all,  on  that  side. 

Captain  Bainbridge  now  called  another  council  of  his  officers,  and 
it  was  determined  to  make  a  last  effort  to  get  the  vessel  off.  The 
water  casks,  in  the  hold,  were  started,  and  the  water  was  pumped 
out.  All  the  heavy  articles  that  could  be  got  at,  were  thrown  over- 
board, and  finally  the  fore-mast  was  cut  away,  bringing  down  with  it 
the  main-top-gallant-mast.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  the  vessel  re- 
mained as  immovable  as  the  rocks  on  which  she  lay. 

The  gun-boats  were  growing  bolderevery  minute,  others  were  ap- 
proaching, and  night  was  at  hand.  Captain  Bainbridge,  after  con- 
sulting again  with  his  officers,  felt  it  to  be  an  imperious  duty  to  haul 
down  his  flag,  to  save  the  lives  of  the  people.  Before  this  was  done, 
however,  the  magazine  was  drowned,  holes  were  bored  in  the  ship's 
bottom,  the  pumps  were  choked,  and  every  thing  was  performed  that 
it  was  thought  would  make  sure  of  the  final  loss  of  the  vessel.  About 
five  o'clock  the  colours  were  lowered. 

It  is  a  curious  circumstance  that  this  was  the  second  instance  in 
which  an  American  vessel  of  war  had  been  compelled  to  haul  down 
her  flag,  since  the  formation  of  the  new  marine,  and  that  in  each  case 
the  same  officer  commanded.  After  the  accounts  given  in  this  work, 
it  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  on  both  occasions  an  imperious  neces- 
sity produced  this  singular  coincidence. 

The  ship  had  no  sooner  struck  than  the  gun-boats  ran  down  along- 
side of  her,  and  took  possession.  The  barbarians  rushed  into  the 
vessel  and   began  to  plunder  their  captives.     Not  only  were  the 


224 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1803. 


I ; 


clothes  wliicli  the  Americans  had  coll'jcted  in  their  bags  and  in  bun- 
dies,  taken  from  them,  but  many  officers  and  men  were  stripped  lialf 
naked.  Tliey  were  hurried  into  boats,  and  sent  to  TripoH,  and 
even  on  the  passage  the  business  of  phindering  went  on.  The 
officers  were  respected  little  more  than  the  common  men,  and,  while 
in  the  boat,  Captain  Bainbridge  himself,  was  robbed  of  his  epaulets, 
gloves,  watch,  and  money.  His  cravat  was  even  torn  from  his  neck. 
He  wore  a  miniature  of  his  wife,  and  of  this  the  Tripolitans  endeav- 
oured  to  dej)rive  him  also,  but,  a  youthful  and  attached  husband,  he 
resisted  so  seriously  that  the  attempt  was  relinquished. 

It  was  near  10  o'clock  at  night,  when  the  boats  reached  the  town. 
The  prisoners  were  landed  in  a  body,  near  the  bashaw's  palace,  and 
they  were  conducted  to  his  presence.  The  prince  received  his  cap- 
tives in  an  audience  hall,  seated  in  a  chair  of  state,  and  surrounded 
by  his  ministers.  Here  Captain  Bainbridge  was  formally  presented 
to  him,  as  his  prisoner,  when  the  bashaw  himself,  directed  all  the 
officers  to  be  seated.  The  minister  of  foreign  affiiirs,  Mohammed 
D'Ghies,  spoke  French,  and  through  him,  the  bashaw  held  a  conver- 
sation of  some  length  with  Captain  Bainbridge.  The  latter  was 
asked  many  questions  concerning  the  Philadelphia,  the  force  of  the 
Americans  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  he  was  civilly  consoled  for 
his  captivity,  by  being  reminded  that  it  was  merely  the  fortune  of  war. 

When  the  conversation  had  ended,  the  officers  were  conducted  to 
another  apartment,  where  a  supper  had  been  provided,  and  as  soon 
as  this  meal  had  been  taken  by  those  who  had  the  hearts  to  eat,  they 
were  lead  back  to  the  audience  hall,  and  paid  their  parting  compli- 
ments to  the  bashaw.  Here  the  captives  were  informed  that  they 
were  put  under  the  special  charge  of  Sidi  Mohammed  D'Ghies,  who 
conducted  them  to  the  house  that  had  lately  been  the  American 
consulate.  The  building  was  spacious  and  commodious,  but  almost 
destitute  of  furniture.  It  was  one  o'clock  in  the  morning,  but  at  that 
late  hour  even,  appeared  Mr.  Nissen,  the  Danish  consul,  bringing 
with  him  the  consolations  of  sympathy  and  hope.  This  benevolent 
man,  was  introduced  to  Captain  Bainbridge,  by  Mohammed  D'Ghies, 
as  his  personal  friend,  and  as  one  on  whose  honour,  humanity  and 
good  faith,  full  reliance  might  be  placed.  Moiiammed  D'Ghies, 
himself,  was  known  by  reputation  to  Captain  Bainbridge,  and  he 
had  shown  delicacy  and  feeling  in  the  exercise  of  his  trust.  His 
recommendation,  which  was  pointedly  significant,  coupled  with  the 
manner  of  Mr.  Nissen,  excited  a  confidence  that  in  the  end  proved  to 
be  most  worthily  bestowed.  Every  thing  that  could  be  devised  at 
that  unseasonable  hour,  was  done  by  Mr.  Nissen,  This  was  but  the 
commencement  of  a  series  of  indefatigable  and  unwearying  kindness 
that  endured  to  the  last  moment  of  the  captivity  of  the  Americans. 

The  misfortunes  that  befell  the  Philadelphia,  made  a  material  dif- 
ference in  the  state  of  the  war.  Until  this  moment,  the  bashaw  had 
received  but  little  to  compensjite  him  for  the  inconvenience  to  which 
he  was  put  by  the  blockade,  and  for  the  loss  of  his  different  cruisers. 
His  corsairs  had  captured  but  very  few  merchant  vessels,  and  they 
ran  the  greatest  risks,  whenever  they  appeared  out  of  their  own  ports. 


accoi 

mean 

The 

form 

ship. 

The 

ceedei 

her  gii 

ns  in 

board, 


hcss 
|s. 

(Uf- 
lliad 
liich 

sers. 
Jthey 
lorts. 


1803.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


225 


As  yet,  it  is  true,  nothing  had  been  attempted  against  his  town,  but 
he  knew  it  was  ut  any  time  hable  to  a  bombardment.  It  was  thought, 
therefore,  that  he  was  not  indisposed  to  peace  when  accident  threw 
the  crew  of  the  Phihidelphia  so  unexpectedly  into  his  power. 

The  bushaw,  liowever,  had  now  a  hold  upon  his  enemy,  that, 
agreeably  to  the  usages  of  Barbary,  enabled  him  to  take  much  liigher 
ground  in  proposing  his  terms.  In  his  previous  negotiations,  he  had 
asked  a  huge  sum  as  the  price  of  the  few  captives  he  then  held,  but 
the  demand  had  been  rejected  as  unreasonable  and  exorbitant.  On 
board  the  Philadelphia  were  three  hundred  and  fifteen  souls,  and 
among  them  were  no  less  than  twenty-two  quarter-deck  officers,* 
gentlemen  in  whose  fortunes  tbe  bashaw  well  knew  there  would  be  a 
lively  interest  felt,  to  say  nothing  of  the  concern  that  a  government 
like  that  of  America  was  expected  to  manifest  for  the  fate  of  its  sea- 
men. Under  these  circumstances,  therefore,  the  divan  of  Tripoli 
felt  strongly  encouraged  to  continue  the  war,  in  the  hope  of  receiving 
a  high  ransom  for  the  prisoiiers,  and  in  the  expectation  of  holding  u 
check  on  the  measures  of  its  enemy,  by  its  means  of  retaliation. 

The  Philadelphia  ran  on  a  reef  on  the  31st  of  October,  and  her 
people  were  landed  during  the  night  of  the  same  day.  The  Tripoli- 
tans  set  about  their  arrangements  to  get  the  ship  off,  next  morning, 
and  as  they  were  near  their  own  port,  had  so  many  gun-boats  and 
galleys  at  their  disposal,  and  were  unmolested  by  any  cruiser,  it  was 
announced  to  the  bashaw  that  there  ivere  hopes  of  saving  the  IVigate. 
In  the  course  of  the  2d  of  November,  it  came  on  to  blow  fresh  Trom 
the  northwest,  and  the  wind  forcing  the  water  up  on  the  African  coast, 
while  it  bore  on  the  larboard  quarter  of  the  ship,  her  stern  was  driven 
round,  and  she  floated,  in  part,  though  she  continued  to  thump,  as 
the  seas  left  her.  Anchors  were  now  carried  out,  all  the  disposable 
force  of  the  town  was  applied,  and  on  the  5th  November,  the  Phila- 
delphia was  got  into  deep  water.  The  same  day,  she  was  brought 
within  two  miles  of  the  city,  where  she  was  compelled  to  anchor,  on 
account  of  the  state  of  the  weather.  Here  she  was  kept  afloat  by 
means  of  pumping,  while  men  were  employed  in  stopping  the  leaks. 
The  business  of  scuttling  appears  to  have  been  but  imperfectly  per- 
formed, a  few  holes  having  been  merely  bored  in  the  bottom  of  the 
ship,  instead  of  cutting  through  the  planks,  as  had  been  ordered. 
The  weather  continuing  remarkably  line,  the  Turks  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  not  only  getting  the  frigate  into  port,  but  in  weighing  all 
her  guns  and  anchors,  which  lay  in  shallow  water  on  the  reef,  as  well 
as  in  getting  up  nearly  every  thing  else  that  had  been  thrown  over- 
board.    The  ship  was  partially  repaired,  her  guns  were  remounted, 

*  William  Bainbridgo,  Captain;  David  Porter,  first  lieutenant ;  Jacob  Jones,  second 
do. ;  Theodore  Hunt,  third  do. ;  Benjamin  Smiih,  fourth  do. ;  William  Osborn,  lieutenant 
of  marines;  John  llidgely,  surgeon  ;  J.Cowdery,  do.  male  ;  Nicholas  Harwood,  do.  do. ; 
Keith  Spence,  purser;  and  Barnard  Henry,  James  Gibbon,  Benjamin  Franklin  Heed, 
James  llenshaw,  Wallace  Wormley,  Robert  Gamble,  James  Biddle,  Richard  R..  Jones, 
Daniel  T.  Patterson,  Simon  Smith,  and  William  Culbush,  midshipmen  ;  William  An- 
derson, captain's  clerk.  Of  thc-e  gentlemen,  Messrs.  J.  Jones,  Rcnshaw,  and  liiddle. 
are  still  in  service,  and  iiave  all  worn  broad  pennants.  Dr.  Cowdery  is  the  oldest  sur 
geon  now  in  the  navy. 

VOL.    I.  15 


;]     !■ 


•I 


'< 

a 

i 

226 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1803. 


■    ■!  !!' 


and  she  was  moored  off  the  town,  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  the 
bashaw's  castle. 

Leaving  Captain  Bainbridge,  and  his  fellow-sufferers,  to  endure 
the  privations  and  hardships  of  a  captivity  in  Barbary,  it  is  now 
necessary  to  return  to  the  other  vessels  of  the  American  squadron,  to 
do  which  we  must  go  back  a  few  days  in  the  order  of  time. 

Commodore  Preble,  on  his  return  from  Tangiers  to  Gibraltar,  on 
the  loth  of  October,  went  round  to  Cadiz;  soon  after,  he  re-appeared 
at  the  former  place,  made  a  formal  announcement  of  the  blockade 
of  Tripoli,  on  the  12th  of  November,  on  which  day  the  ship  he  be- 
lieved to  be  in  the  active  execution  of  that  duty,  was  in  the  possession 
of  the  enemy,  and  on  the  13th  he  sailed  for  Algiers.  After  landing 
a  consul  at  the  latter  place,  he  proceeded  to  Malta,  off  which  port  he 
arrived  on  the  27th  of  November.  Here  he  was  met  by  letters  from 
Captain  Bainbridge,  and  he  obtained  a  confirmation  of  the  loss  of 
the  Philadelphia,  a  rumour  of  which  event  had  reached  him  lower 
down  the  coast.  The  Constitution  sailed  immediately  for  Syracuse, 
and  got  in  next  day. 

On  the  17th  of  December,  1803,  Commodore  Preble,  after  making 
his  preparations  and  disposing  of  his  force  in  different  ways,  sailed 
for  Tripoli,  with  the  Enterprise  in  company,  off  which  place  he  now 
appeared  for  the  firsttime.  The  23d  of  the  month,  the  Enterprise  12, 
Lieutenant CommandantDecatur,  fell  in  with  and  captured  a  ketch, 
called  the  Mastico,  with  seventy  souls  on  board.  The  Mastico  had 
been  a  FrcMich  gun-vessel  in  Egypt,  that  had  been  taken  by  the 
English  and  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Tripolitans.  She  was 
now  bound  to  Constantinople,  with  a  present  of  female  slaves  for  the 
Porte.  A  few  days  after  this  prize  was  taken,  it  came  on  to  blow 
heavily  from  the  northeast,  and  finding  the  frigate  in  danger  of  being 
lost  on  the  coast,  at  that  tempestuotis  season,  Commodore  Preble 
returned  to  Syracuse;  not,  however,  until  he  had  reconnoitered  his 
enemy,  and  formed  his  plan  of  operations  for  the  future.  Means  had 
been  found  to  communicate  with  Captain  Bainbridge,  also,  and 
several  letters  were  received  from  that  officer,  pointing  out  different 
methods  of  annoying  the  enemy. 

In  a  letter  of  the  date  of  the  5th  of  December,  1803,  Captain  Bain 
bridge  suggested  the  possibility  of  destroying  the  Philadelphia,  which 
ship  was  slowly  fitting  for  sea,  there  being  little  doubt  of  her  being 
sent  out  as  a  cruiser,  as  soon  as  the  mild  season  should  return.  Com- 
modore Preble  listened  to  the  suggestion,  and  being  much  in  the 
society  of  the  commander  of  the  vessel  that  was  most  in  company 
with  the  Constitution,  Lieutenant  Stephen  Decatur,  he  mentioned 
the  project  to  that  spirited  officer.  The  expedition  was  just  suited 
to  the  ardour  and  temperament  of  Mr.  Decatur,  and  the  possession 
of  the  Mastico  at  once  aflbrded  the  means  of  carrying  it  into  effect. 
The  ketch  was  accordingly  appraised,  named  the  Intrepid, and  taken 
into  the  service,  as  a  tender.  About  this  time.  Lieutenant  Com- 
mandant Stewart,  of  the  Siren,  the  officer  who  was  then  second  in 
command  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  who  had  just  arrived  from  below, 
offered  to  cut  out  the  Philadelphia  with  his  own  brig ;  but  Connrio- 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


227 


;om- 


dore  Preble  was  phdged  to  Mr.  Decatur,  who,  at  first,  had  proposed 
to  run  in  with  the  i^nterprise  and  carry  the  ship.  The  more  experi- 
enced Preble  rejected  the  propositions  of  both  these  ardent  young- 
men,  substituting  a  plan  of  his  own. 

Although  Commodore  Preble  declined  the  proposal  of  Mr.  Deca- 
tur to  carry  in  the  Enterprise,  the  projected  service  was  assigned  to 
the  commander  and  crew  of  that  schooner.  It  being  necessary,  how- 
ever, to  leave  some  of  her  own  officers  and  people  in  her,  a  selection 
of  a  few  gentlemen  to  join  in  the  expedition,  was  made  from  the  flag- 
ship, and  orders  to  that  effect  were  issued  accordingly.  These  orders 
were  dated  February  the  3d,  1804,  and  they  directed  the  different 
gentlemen  named  to  report  themselves  to  Lieutenant  Commandant 
Decatur,  of  the  Enterprise.  As  it  was  intended  that  the  crew  of  the 
schooner  should  furnish  the  entire  crew  of  the  ketch,  it  was  not 
thought  proper  to  add  any  men  to  this  craft.  In  short,  the  duty  was 
strictly  assigned  to  the  Enterprise,  so  far  as  her  complement  could 
furnish  the  officers  required.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  3d,  according 
to  the  orders  they  had  just  received,  Messrs.  Izard,  Morris,  Laws, 
Davis,  and  Rowe,  midshipmen  of  the  Constitution,  went  on  board  the 
schooner,  and  reported  themselves  for  duty  to  her  commander.  All 
hands  were  now  called  in  the  Enterprise,  when  Lieutenant  Com- 
mandant Decatur  acquainted  his  people  with  the  destination  of  the 
ketch,  and  asked  for  volunteers.  Ever/man  and  boy  in  the  schooner 
presented  himself,  as  ready,  and  willing  to  go.  Sixty-two  of  the 
most  active  men  were  selected,  and  the  remainder,  with  a  few  officers, 
were  left  to  take  care  of  the  vessel.  As  the  orders  to  destroy  the 
frigate,  and  not  to  attempt  to  bring  her  out,  were  peremptory,  the 
combustibles,  which  had  been  prepared  for  this  purpose,  were  imme- 
diately sent  on  board  the  Intrepid,  her  crew  followed,  and  that 
evening  the  ketch  sailed,  under  the  convoy  of  the  Siren  16,  Lieuten- 
ant Commandant  Stewart,  who  was  properly  the  senior  officer  of  the 
expedition,  though,  owing  to  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  service,  Mr. 
Decatur  was  permitted  to  conduct  the  more  active  part  of  the  duty, 
at  his  own  discretion. 

The  party  in  the  ketch  consisted  of  Lieutenant  Commandant  De- 
catur ;  Lieutenants  Lawrence,  Bainbridge,  and  Thorn;  Mr.  Thomas 
M'Donough,*  midshipman,  and  Dr.  Heerman,  surgeon  ;  all  of  the 
Enterprise  ; — Messrs.  Izard,  Morris,  Laws,  Davis,  and  Rowe.  mid- 
shipmen, of  the  Constitution  ;  and  Salvatore  Catalano  the  pilot,  with 
sixty-two  petty  officers  and  common  meti,  making  a  total  of  seventy- 
four  souls. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  accommodations  were  none 
of  the  best,  with  so  many  persons  cooped  up  in  a  vessel  of  between 
forty  and  fifty  tons  ;  and  to  make  the  matter  worse,  it  was  soon  found 
that  the  salted  meat  put  on  board  was  spoiled,  and  that  there  was 
little  besides  bread  and  water  left  to  subsist  on.  The  weather,  how- 
ever, was  pleasant,  and  the  wind  favourable,  and  the  two  vessels  got 
in  sight  of  Tripoli  on  the  afternoon  of  the  9th.     To  prevent  suspi- 

•  Mr.  Thomas  M'Douougli,  afterwards  so  distinguished,  bad  belonged  to  the  Philadel 
phia,  but  escaped  captivity  by  being  left  at  Gibraltar  iu  the  prize  Meshboha. 


228 


NAVAL   HISTORY. 


[1804. 


cioiifi,  the  Intrepid  now  went  nliend  of  the  Siren  ;  nnd  a  little  after 
dark,  she  had  stretched  in  quite  near  to  the  const,  with  a  hree/e  at 
southwest,  anchoring  about  a  mile  to  windward  of  tlie  town.  Shortly 
after,  the  Siren,  disguised  brought-to  a  little  to  seaward  of  her.  The 
night  came  on  dark  and  threatening,  but  it  was  in  some  respects  so 
favourable  to  the  enterprise,  that  Mr.  Decatur  was  reluctant  to  let  it 
pass  Avithout  making  the  attempt.  The  pilot,  however,  pronounced 
it  extremely  hazardous  to  venture  in  among  the  rocks  at  that  mo- 
moment,  as  he  thought  the  sea  must  be  breaking  across  the  entrance, 
by  which  it  was  proposed  to  pass.  Under  the  circumstances,  Mr. 
Decatur,  who  displayed  as  much  conduct  and  prudence  as  daring 
gallantry  throughout  this  whole  aflair,  sent  Mr.  Morris  and  the  pilot, 
in  a  boat  with  mufilcd  oars,  to  reconnoitre.  This  young  officer 
pulled  close  up  to  the  western  passage,  and  ascertained  that  the  sea 
was  so  high  that  it  was,  in  fact,  breaking  entirely  across  the  entrance; 
when  he  returned  and  reported  that  it  would  be  hazardous  to  go  in, 
and  that  to  come  out  would  be  impossible. 

The  report  was  scarcely  needed,  for,  by  this  time,  the  wind  Imd 
risen  so  high,  and  so  much  sea  had  got  up,  that  in  hoisting  in  the 
boat,  it  was  stove,  and  when  the  anchor  was  weighed,  for  it  was 
necessary  to  get  off  the  land  as  soon  as  possible,  it  was  found  to  be 
broken.  The  Siren  had  anchored  a  little  without  the  ketch,  and  had 
hoisted  out  and  armed  her  boats,  which  were  to  cover  the  retreat,  but 
she,  too,  was  compelled  to  get  under  way,  by  the  increasing  violence 
of  the  wind.  Several  hours  were  employed  in  a  vain  attempt  to  get 
her  anchor,  the  brig  rolling  gunwales-to,  and  a  good  many  of  her 
people,  together  with  Lieutenant  Commandant  Stewart,  were  hurt 
by  the  capstan's  running  away  with  the  bars.  In  the  end,  the 
weather  came  on  so  bad,  and  the  danger  of  being  seen  as  tlie  day 
dawned  was  so  much  increased,  that  tlie  anchor  and  cable  were  left, 
the  latter  having  been  cut. 

So  sudden  and  violent  was  the  gale,  that  there  had  been  no  com- 
munication between  the  two  vessels,  the  Siren  having  no  other  intima- 
tion of  the  departure  of  the  ketch,  than  by  seeing  her  light  as  she 
stretched  out  to  sea.  Luckily,  the  wind  was  well  to  the  westward, 
aiul  both  vessels  got  an  offing  before  they  were  seen  from  Tripoli. 
Here  they  lay  to,  with  their  lieads  off  shore,  certain  of  being  far 
enough  to  leeward,  to  be  out  of  sight  in  the  morning.  The  wind 
began  to  haul  to  the  northward,  and  the  gale  lasted  six  days,  during 
which  time  great  fears  were  entertained  of  the  ketch's  foundering  at 
sea,  or  of  her  being,  at  least,  driven  on  the  coast,  the  change  in  the 
wind  having  brought  the  vessels  on  a  lee  shore.  Before  ;he  wind 
abated,  they  were  driven  up  into  the  Gulf  of  Sydra,  where  they  were 
fairly  embayed. 

On  the  15th the  weather  moderated,  and  the  brig  and  ketch,  which 
had  kept  in  company,  notwithstanding  the  gale,  endefivoured  to  fetch 
in  with  the  land,  and  in  the  course  of  the  night  they  got  so  near,  as 
to  reconnoitre  and  ascertain  their  position.  Finding  themselves  too 
far  to  the  eastward  to  effect  any  thing  that  night,  they  Imnled  off 
again,  in  order  to  escape  detection.     Tlie  next  day,  about  noon,  cal- 


obje 
ciieij 
men 
A I 
lay  i| 
abreJ 
filie  \t 
top-iT 
Ifor 
sliorri 
Just 
or  tw 
It 
sniool 
days 
tc/-pi-ij 
«ooii,r 
biickj 

of  th<r 

have 
In  tin 


ft. 


itid 


uch 


e 


tell 

,  as 
too 
oflF 
cal- 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


229 


culatiiigthnt  tliey  wore  abreast  of  the  town,  and  the  wind  and  weather 
bein;^,  in  all  respects,  favourable,  both  vessels  kept  away,  the  ketch 
leading  some  distance,  in  order  that  the  enemy  might  not  suppose 
her  a  consort  of  the  Siren's  although  the  latter  was  so  much  disguised, 
as  to  render  it  impossible  to  recognise  her.  The  wind  was  fair,  but 
light,  and  every  thing  looking  favourable,  Mr.  Decatur  now  seriously 
made  his  dis{)ositioi!s  for  the  attac?  Apprehensive  that  they  might 
have  been  seen,  and  that  the  enemy  had  possibly  strengthened  the 
party  on  board  the  frigate.  Lieutenant  Commandant  Stewart  sent  a 
boat  and  eight  men  from  the  Siren,  to  the  ketch,  under  the  orders 
of  one  of  liis  midshipmen,  Mr.  Anderson,  which  reinforcement 
increased  the  immbers  of  the  intended  assailants  to  eighty-two,  all 
told. 

The  orders  of  Lieutenant  Commandant  Decatvir  were  clear  and 
simple.  The  spar-deck  was  first  to  be  carried,  then  the  gun-deck  ; 
after  which  the  following  distribution  of  the  party  was  made,  in  order 
to  set  fire  to  the  ship.  Mr.  Decatur,  with  Messrs.  Izard  and  Rowe, 
and  fifteen  men,  was  to  keep  possession  of  the  upper  deck.  Mr. 
Lawrence,  with  Messrs.  Laws  and  M'Donough  and  ten  men,  was  to 
repair  to  the  berth-deck  and  forward  store-rooms.  Mr.  Bainbridge, 
with  Mr.  Davis  and  ten  men,  was  to  go  into  the  ward-room  and 
steerage  ;  Mr.  Morris,  with  eight  men,  was  to  go  into  the  cockpit 
and  after  store-rooms  ;  Mr.  Thorn,  with  the  gunner  and  surgeon, 
and  thirteen  men,  was  to  look  after  the  ketch  ;  to  Mr.  Izard  was  as- 
signed the  command  of  the  launch  should  she  be  needed,  and  Mr. 
Anderson,  with  the  Siren's  eutter,  was  to  secure  all  boats  alongside 
of  the  ship,  and  to  prevent  the  people  from  swimming  ashore,  with 
directions,  however,  to  board  as  soon  as  the  first  duty  was  performed. 

Fire-ar-ns  were  to  be  used  only  in  the  last  extremity,  and  the  first 
object  of  every  one  was  to  clear  the  upper-deck  and  gun-deck  of  the 
enemy.  The  watch-word  was  "  Philadelphia."  These  arrange- 
ments were  plain  and  judicious. 

As  the  ketch  drew  in  with  the  land,  tlie  ship  became  visible.  She 
lay  not  quite  a  mile  within  the  entrance,  riding  to  the  wind,  and 
abreast  of  the  town.  Her  fore-mast,  which  had  been  cut  away  while 
she  was  on  the  reef,  had  not  yet  been  replaced,  her  main  and  mizen- 
top-masts  were  houi^ed,  and  her  lower  yards  were  on  the  gunwales. 
Hor  lower  standing  rigging,  however,  was  in  its  place,  and,  as  was 
shortly  afterwards  ascertained,  her  guns  were  loaded  and  shotted. 
Just  within  her,  lay  two  corsairs,  with  a  few  gun-boats,  and  a  galley 
or  two. 

It  was  a  mild  evening  for  the  season,  and  the  sea  and  bay  were 
smooth  as  in  summer  ;  as  uidike  as  possible  to  the  same  place  a  few 
days  previously,  when  the  two  vessels  had  been  driven  from  the  en- 
t(;rpri.s(!  by  a  tempest.  Perceiving  that  he  was  likely  to  get  in  too 
soon,  when  about  five  miles  from  the  rocks,  Mr.  Decatur  ordered 
buckets  and  other  drags  to  be  towed  astern,  in  order  to  lessen  the  way 
of  the  ketch,  without  shortening  sail,  as  the  latter  expedient  ^  "ould 
have  been  seen  from  the  port,  and  must  have  awake.'ied  suspicion. 
In  the  mean  time  the  wind  gradually  fell,  until  it  became  so  light  as 


"! 


230 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


Ii*v? 


to  leave  the  ketch  but  about  two  knot's  way  on  her,  when  the  drags 
were  removed. 

About  10  o'clock  the  Intrepid  reached  the  eastern  entrance  of  the 
bay,  or  the  ptissage  between  the  rocks  and  the  shoal.  The  wind  was 
nearly  east,  and,  as  she  steered  directly  for  the  frigate,  it  was  well 
abaft  the  beam.  There  was  a  young  moon,  and  os  the  bold  adven- 
turers were  slowly  advancing  into  the  hostile  port,  all  around  them 
was  tranquil  and  apparently  without  distrust.  For  near  an  hotir 
they  were  stealing  slowly  along,  the  air  gradually  failing,  until  their 
motion  became  scarcely  perceptible. 

Most  of  the  officers  and  men  of  the  ketch  had  been  ordered  to  lie 
on  the  deck,  where  they  were  concealed  by  low  bulwarks,  or  weath- 
er-boards, and  by  the  different  objects  that  belong  ft)  a  vessel.  As  it. 
is  the  practice  of  those  seas,  to  carry  many  men  even  in  the  smallest 
craft,  the  appearance  often  or  twelve  would  excite  no  alarm,  and  this 
number  was  visible.  The  commanding  officer,  himself,  stood  near 
the  pilot,  Mr.  Catalano,*  who  was  to  act  as  interperter.  The  quarter- 
master at  the  helm,  was  ordered  to  stand  directly  for  the  frigate's 
bows,  it  being  the  intention  to  iay  the  ship  aboard  in  that  place,  as 
the  mode  of  attack  which  would  least  expose  the  assailants  to  her  tire. 

The  Intrepid  was  still  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  Phila- 
delphia, when  the  latter  hailed.  The  pilot  answered  that  the  ketch 
belonged  to  Malta,  and  was  on  a  trading  voyage  ;  that  she  had  been 
nearly  wrecked,  and  had  lost  her  anchors  in  the  late  gale,  and  that 
her  commander  wished  to  ride  by  the  frigate  during  the  night.  This 
conversation  lasted  some  time,  Mr.  Decatur  instructing  the  pilot  to 
tell  the  frigate's  people  with  whot  lie  was  laden,  in  order  to  amuse 
them,  and  the  Intrepid  gradually  drew  nearer,  until  there  was  every 
prospect  of  her  running  foul  of  the  Philadelphia,  in  a  minute  or  two, 
and  at  the  very  spot  contemplated.  But  the  wind  suddenly  shifted, 
and  took  the  ketch  aback.  The  instant  the  southerly  puff  struck 
her,  her  head  fell  off,  and  she  got  a  stern-board,  the  ship,  at  the  s:ime 
moment,  tending  to  the  new  current  of  air.  The  effect  of  this  unex- 
pected change  was  to  bring  the  ketch  directly  under  the  frigate's 
broadside,  at  the  distance  of  about  forty  yards,  where  she  lay  be- 
calmed, or,  if  any  thinir,  drifting  slowly  astern,  exposed  to  nearly 
every  one  of  the  Philadelphia's  larboard  guns. 

Not  the  smallest  suspicion  appears  to  have  been  yet  excited  on 
board  the  frigate,  though  several  of  her  people  were  looking  over  the 
rails,  and  notwithstanding  the  moonlight.  So  completely  were  the 
Turks  deceived,  that  they  lowered  a  boat,  and  sent  it  with  a  fast. 
Some  of  the  ketch's  men,  in  the  mean  time,  had  got  into  her  boat, 
and  had  run  a  line  to  the  frigate's  fore  chains.  As  th'^y  returned, 
they  met  the  frigate's  boat,  took  the  fast  it  brought,  which  came  from 
the  after  part  of  the  ship,  and  passed  it  into  their  own  vessel.  These 
fasts  were  put  into  the  hands  of  the  men,  as  they  lay  on  the  ketch's 
deck,  and    ll/ley  bi'gan  cautiously  to  br^east  the  Intrepid  alongside  of 


the  Philadelphia,  without   rising.     As  soon  as  the 

"Late  a  sailing-maBter  in  tlic  navy 


latter  got 


near 


':      i 


V.Wcsc^^ 


"'-'•,:  rimx 


V  "j'  M  I^H  '0<  Ti'  O  Bi  E 


sr:F;]f^'isi::^ir  BECj^riDim,.  r^;,,;^' 


1804.] 


NAVAL  IMSTOIIV. 


2'61 


I  iii'ii ,..    I  •'")',    I'l'      I'lirii     .!i  '■<; 


ill        I,.'  1;"!    ,    ;',ii,:    I, 


;»'.<ii)    •>   ,!,  |,'(l     ill.      Li'fi  ,      ill     .  "1^,    ll"   ^l,l      hill!     lit  <•    is»'U   '!,  'Ill 

j»n'|i.ii  Ml  ; ,     ,•'!»»•    nni!     nil-      ..1.    i!>»'  r.' .:«       A!I  Mn.  in-  •■(!  ,i. 
(•i<iiii    '     ,      '111'.,    'ill     I  l■^     '  .1       'h  uii  •        ,■,  .\,    |ic'.;il  lit  ilii'    .-i  1,1. 

'    'M'j    I  ill!,  tiiMii  . !m   . I    :r   M  ■■  •■  ! 

>  ..  .   ii    I'd  ,      jli ,'  tr    ;i-     I  m  I  .;ii, . 

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j'i{(  111 '  'i.  '.r  iIt  I ,'i i.|iii.i 

,<:  ■    ■'      t  ■  ui'   I  III'  iV;  'Mil       '     ■ 


f 


I       ;         .    I  i  1 1  •     I    '    '    1 M  ■  1 !      ,     S\  I  •  I 

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I M.   h    III  li    I   l(  ■  •111  1, 1      I'    ■     ■  I  \  .  ,-_     ;i  '      .. ,   j,i       ( ;  ■il.iljiMi        .     |i   ■  : 
'    il'-,  II..'    ii".ii   1.     ,!.   ,li     .(1   j-i    I   llrr    |.),,. 

-    '1  1.       U  il'     ('•!.';  li....,       I!   I    I)i  I  ut'M    ■>    '.*  ■•I.1..I.IM/  r  '  .    '   .1    U  -  ii.'lli:;  , 

.'    .     VJ.---''        I.JIU-    .lll'l      M'>''''l-     i|Ui:'     i,Ni»      '  i.  .    -1      .■I'l-. 

■  ;!'      Il        ;m..  ,1    ■'♦    till'    frp      "ii     -    ••P  ii||    pi  ■    '    >A  !  "_l;«   ■ 

I  '     .•!:    :'   llnii-'    '      In      •     >  i-  .'li      i.iItT      •   'ii'''  .   •'  .  !         '  ii.'',    ■  '   . 

\i'        ..!   Ill-     '  !•  ,         il  Mj  ;:"'  iilVi':i  i*      i>:>      'i;     i      '      v      li-,'.-i    'nl 

•       ■.    Ill  'I    (i  !,.!  !.        J'li!    lliK'i    ■■■    ii'Ir.  1.  ii  I     ,;i.  .1  -,1  •'.  .  'I        'i  III)' 

••'  t  III  I  .     .•  mi      i    11  ir     ;,,lii'       (    .    ".    I     !    ■•!   •  ii'.       •■«',"  i|;      Ui.    '        -i         "^lil,  •  !> 

•  I.     :l  ill      i.)it:iuii\"    il.-ii'      «vii:i<-    .Mr.   K;m»--    iI.i.'JIi    .'    nl   ,\    |  on 
•  '  Il  •  I  I       I    V'.  I 'I  ill!  li.ivi    ;  It'll  111;.;.  1 1  I'ti-  liKiii.dr  III  li:t>  HI  i-  hri  n  li;  ■.;  ii 
'  I'l.i     ;     ,i.'~  i.lli,    I'll    \vi  ;iiiii[r  u     !'ii;;|-ii|;;i«   !i'li,    \,:-     |>|vli>h    \\  •  i 


:i. 


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Ml-.    I)i 


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ciitd 

tlio 

pre 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


231 


enough  tu  the  ship,  the  Turks  discovered  her  anchors,  hud  they 
sternly  ordered  the  ketch  to  keep  off,  as  she  had  deceived  them  ; 
prepuring,  at  the  same  time,  to  cut  the  fasts.  All  this  passed  in  a 
moment,  when  the  cry  of  "  Amerikanos"  was  heard  in  the  ship. 
The  people  of  the  Intrepid  by  a  strong  pull,  brought  their  vessel 
alongside  of  the  frigate,  where  she  was  secured,  quick  as  thought. 
Up  to  this  moment,  not  a  whisper  had  betrayed  the  presence  of  the 
men  concealed.  The  instructions  had  been  positive  to  keep  quiet 
until  commanded  to  show  themselves,  and  no  precipitation,  even  in 
that  trying  moment,  deranged  the  plan. 

Lieutenant  Comnmndant  Decatur  was  standing  ready  for  a  spring, 
with  Messrs.  Laws  and  Morris  quite  near  him.  As  soon  as  close 
enough,  he  jumped  at  the  frigate's  chain-plates,  and  while  clinging 
to  the  ship  himself,  he  gave  the  order  to  board.  The  two  midship- 
men were  at  his  side,  and  all  the  officers  and  men  of  the  Litrepid 
arose  and  followed.  The  three  gentlemen  named  were  in  the  chains 
together,  and  Lieutenant  Commandant  Decatur  and  Mr.  Morris 
sprang  at  the  rail  above  them,  while  Mr.  Laws  dashed  at  a  port. 
To  the  latter  would  have  belonged  the  honour  of  having  been  first  in 
this  gallant  assault,  but  wearing  a  boarding-belt,  his  pistols  were 
caught  between  the  gun  and  the  side  of  the  port.  Mr.  Decatur's 
foot  slipped  in  springing,  and  Mr.  Charles  Morris  first  stood  upon 
the  quarter-deck  of  the  Philadelphia.  In  an  instant.  Lieutenant 
Commandant  Decatur  and  Mr.  Laws  were  at  his  side,  while  heads 
and  bodies  appeared  coming  over  the  rail,  and  through  the  ports  in 
all  directions. 

The  surprise  appears  to  have  been  as  perfect,  as  the  assault  was 
rapid  and  earnest.  Most  of  the  Turks  on  deck  crowded  forward,  and 
all  ran  over  to  the  starboard-side,  as  their  enemies  poured  in  on  the 
larboard.  A  few  were  aft,  but  as  soon  as  charged,  they  leaped  into 
the  sea.  Indeed,  the  constant  plunges  into  the  water,  gave  the  assail- 
ants the  assurance  that  their  enemies  were  fast  lessening  in  numbers 
by  flight.  It  took  but  a  minute  or  two  to  clear  the  spar-deck,  though 
there  was  more  of  a  struggle  below.  Still,  so  admirably  managed 
was  the  attack,  and  so  complete  the  surprise,  that  the  resistance  was 
but  trifling.  In  less  than  ten  minutes  Mr.  Decatur  was  on  the  quar- 
ter-dock ag  iin,  in  undisturbed  possession  of  his  prize. 

There  can  be  no  doubt  that  this  gallant  officer  now  felt  bitter 
regrets,  that  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  bring  away  the  ship  he  had  so 
nobly  recovered.  Not  only  were  his  orders  on  this  point  peremptory, 
however,  but  the  frigate  had  not  a  sail  bent,  nor  a  yard  crossed,  and 
she  wanted  her  foremast.  It  was  next  to  impossible,  therefore,  to 
remove  her,  and  the  command  was  given  to  pass  up  the  combusti- 
bles from  the  ketch. 

The  duty  of  setting  fire  to  the  prize,  appears  to  have  been  exe- 
cuted with  as  much  promptitude  and  order,  as  every  other  part  of 
the  service.  The  officers  distributed  themselves,  agreeably  to  the 
previous  instructions,  and  the  men  soon  appeared  with  the  necessary 
means.  Each  party  acted  by  itself,  and  as  it  got  ready.  So  rapid 
were  tin.  v  all  in  their  movements,  that  the  men  with  combustibles  had 


•i 


«> 


232 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


V ; 


1  .    I 


scarcely  time  to  get  as  low  as  the  cock-pit  and  aftor-slore-rooms, 
before  the  fires  were  Hghted  over  their  lieads.  Wlien  the  officer  en- 
trusted with  the  duty  last  mentioned,  had  got  through,  ho  found  the 
after-hatches  filled  with  smoke,  from  the  fire  in  the  ward-room  and 
steerage,  and  he  was  obliged  to  make  his  escape  by  the  forward  ladder$i. 

The  Americans  were  in  the  ship  from  twenty  to  twenty-five  min- 
utes, and  they  were  literally  driven  out  of  her  by  the  flunjos.  The 
vessel  had  got  to  be  so  dry  in  that  low  latitude,  that  she  burnt  like 
pine  ;  and  the  combustibles  had  been  as  judiciously  prcjuurd,  ns 
they  were  steadily  used.  The  last  party  up,  were  the  people  who 
had  been  in  the  store-rooms,  and  when  they  reached  the  deck,  they 
found  most  of  their  companions  already  in  the  Intrepid.  Joining 
them,  and  ascertaining  that  all  was  ready,  the  order  was  given  to 
cast  oft'.  Notwithstanding  the  daring  character  of  the  enterprise  in 
general,  JNIr.  Decatur  and  his  party  now  ran  the  greatest  risk  they 
Imd  incurred  that  night.  So  fierce  had  the  conflagration  already 
become,  tliat  the  flames  began  to  pour  out  of  the  ports,  and  the  head- 
fast  having  been  cast  ofl^the  ketch  fell  astern,  with  her  jigger  flapping 
against  the  quarter-gallery,  and  her  boom  foul.  The  ii.e  showed 
itself  in  the  window,  at  this  critical  moment ;  and  beneath,  was  all 
the  ammunition  of  the  party,  covered  with  a  tarpaulin.  To  increase 
the  risk,  the  stern-fast  was  jammed.  By  using  swords,  how«>ver, 
for  there  was  not  time  to  look  for  an  axe,  the  hawser  was  cut,  and  the 
Intrepid  was  extricated  from  the  most  imminent  danger,  by  a  vigor- 
ous shove.  As  she  swung  clear  of  the  frigate,  the  flames  reached  the 
rigging,  up  which  they  went  hissing,  like  a  rocket,  the  tar  having 
oozed  from  the  ropes,  M'hich  had  been  saturated  with  that  intlamma- 
ble  matter.     Matches  could  not  have  kindled  with  greater  quickness. 

The  sweeps  were  now  manned.  Up  to  this  moment,  every  thing 
had  been  done  earnestly,  though  without  noise,  but  as  soon  as  they 
felt  that  they  had  got  command  of  their  ketch  again,  and  by  two  or 
three  vigorous  strokes  had  sent  her  away  from  the  frigate,  the 
people  of  the  Intrepid  ceased  rowing,  and  as  one  man,  they  gave 
three  cheers  for  victory.  This  appeared  to  arouse  the  Turks  from 
their  stupor,  for  the  cry  had  hardly  ended,  when  the  batteries,  the 
two  corsairs,  and  the  galley,  poured  in  their  fire.  The  men  lay  hold 
of  the  sweeps  ajrain,  of  which  the  Intrepid'had  eight  of  a  side,  and 
favoured  by  a  light  air,  they  went  rapidly  down  the  harbour. 

The  spectacle  that  followed,  is  described  as  having  been  both 
beautiful  and  sublime.  The  entire  bay  was  illuminated  by  tlu^  con- 
flagration, the  roar  of  cannon  was  constant,  and  Tripoli  wai  in  a 
clamour.  The  appearance  of  the  ship  was,  in  the  highest  degree, 
maiinificent ;  and  to  add  to  the  eftect,  as  her  guns  heated,  they  Iwgan 
to  'J.O  of}'.  Owing  to  the  shift  of  wind,  and  the  position  into  which 
she  had  tended,  she,  in  some  measure,  returned  the  enemy's  \\n\  as 
one  of  her  broadsides  was  discharged  in  the  direction  of  the  town, 
and  tlie  other  towards  Fort  English.  The  most  singular  etVeet  of 
this  conflagration  was  on  board  the  ship,  for  the  flames  having  run  up 
tli(!  rigging  and  masts,  collected  under  thetops,  and  fell  over,  giving 
the  whole  the  appearance  of  glowing  columns  and  fiery  capitals. 


d 


[an 
ich 

as 


up 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


Under  ordinary  circumstances,  the  situation  of  the  ketch  would 
still  have  been  thought  sufficiently  perilous,  but  after  the  exploit  they  • 
had  just  performed,  her  people,  elated  with  success,  regarded  all 
that  was  now  passing,  as  a  triumphant  spectacle.  The  shot  con- 
stantly cast  the  spray  around  them,  or  were  whistling  over  their  heads, 
but  the  only  sensation  they  produced,  was  by  calling  attention  to  the 
bi  iJIiant  jets  d'eau  that  they  occasioned  as  they  bounded  along  the 
waier.  But  one  struck  the  Intrepid,  although  she  was  within  half  a 
mile  of  many  of  the  heaviest  guns  for  some  time,  and  that  passed 
through  her  top-gallant  sail. 

With  sixteen  sweeps,  and  eighty  men  elated  with  success,  Mr. 
Decatur  was  enabled  to  drive  the  little  Intrepid  ahead  with  a  velocity 
that  rendered  towing  useless.  Near  the  harbour's  mouth,  he  met  the 
Siren's  boats,  sent  to  cover  his  retreat,  but  their  services  were  scarcely 
necessary.  As  soon  as  the  ketch  was  out  of  danger,  he  got  into  one, 
and  pulled  aboard  the  brig,  to  report  to  Lieutenant  Commandant 
Stewart,  the  result  of  his  undertaking. 

The  Siren  had  got  into  the  offing  some  time  after  the  Intrepid, 
agreeably  to  arrangements,  and  anchored  about  three  miles  from  the 
rocks.  Here  she  hoisted  out  the  launch  and  a  cutter,  manned  and 
armed  them,  and  sent  them  in,  under  Mr.  Caldwell,  her  first  lieuten- 
ant. Soon  after  the  brig  weighed,  and  the  wind  having  entirely 
failed  outride,  she  swept  into  eight  fathoms  water,  and  anchored 
again,  <^o  ■  t  the  retreat,  should  the  enemy  attempt  to  board  the 
Intrepir',  ,  his  gun-boats.  It  will  readily  be  supposed  that  it  was 
an  anx.  jiis  moment,  and  as  the  moon  rose,  all  eyes  were  on  the 
frigate.  After  waiting  in  intense  expectation  near  an  hour,  a  rocket 
went  up  from  the  Philadelphia.  It  was  the  signal  of  possession,  and 
Mr.  Stewart  ran  below  to  get  anothe^j^for  the  answer.  He  was  gone 
only  a  moment,  but  when  he  returned,  the  fire  was  seen  shining 
through  the  frigate's  ports,  and  in  a  few  more  minutes,  the  fiuraes 
were  rushing  up  her  rigging,  as  if  a  train  had  been  touched.  Then 
followed  the  cannonade,  and  the  dashing  of  sweeps,  with  the  ap- 
proach of  the  ketch.  Presently  a  boat  Was  seen  coming  alongside, 
and  a  man,  in  a  sailor's  jacket,  sprang  over  the  gangway  of  the  brig. 
It  was  Decatur,  himself,  to  announce  his  victory  ! 

The  ketch  and  brig  lay  near  each  other,  for  about  an  hour,  when 
a  strong  and  favourable  wind  arose,  and  they  made  sail  for  Syracuse, 
which  port  they  reached  on  the  19th.  Here  the  party  was  received 
with  salutes  and  congratulations,  by  the  Sicilians,  who  were  also  at 
war  with  Tripoli,  as  well  as  by  their  own  countrymen. 

The  success  of  this  gallant  exploit  laid  the  foundation  of  the  name 
which  Mr.  Decatur  subsequently  acquired  in  the  navy.  The  country 
applauded  the  feat  generally  ;  and  the  commanding  officer  was 
raised  from  the  station  of  a  lieutenant  to  that  of  a  captain.  3Iost  of 
tlie  midshipmen  engaged,  were  also  promoted,  and  Lieutenant  Com- 
mandant Decatur  received  a  sword.* 

*  Notwithstanding  his  merit,  the  propriety  of  mailing  Mr.  Decatur  a  captain  was  much 
qucstlonod.  When  the  news  reached  America,  liis  name  was  before  the  senate,  under 
nominjilion,  as  the  youngest  master  and  commander  of  eight,  but,  on  receiving  tlie  intel- 
hgcnce  of  his  success,  it  was  withdrawn,  and  scut  in  for  a  captain's  commission. 


■  -I 


234 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


The  Philadelphia  was  a  frigate  of  the  chiss  that  the  Erighsh  termed 
a  thirty-eight,  previously  to  the  war  of  1812.  Her  armament  con- 
sisted of  28  eighteens,  on  her  gun-deck,  and  of  16  corronudes  and 
chase  guns,  above;  or  of  44  guns  in  the  whole.  No  correct  estimate 
has  probably  ever  been  made  of  the  number  of  men  in  her,  when  she 
was  re-captured.  Twenty  were  reported  tc  have  been  killed,  and 
one  boat  loaded  with  Turks  is  ^aid  to  have  "scaped;  many  also 
swam  ashore,  or  to  the  nearest  cruisers.  Some,  no  doubt,  seerettd 
themselves  belov  of  whom  the  greater  part  must  have  perished  in 
the  ship,  as  the  ,-arty  that  set  fire  to  the  after-store-rooms  had  diffi- 
culty in  escaping  from  the  flames.  But  one  prisoner  was  made,  a 
wounded  Turk,  who  took  refuge  in  the  ketch.  On  the  part  of  the 
Americans  but  a  single  man  was  hui-t.* 

In  whatever  light  we  regard  this  exploit  it  extorts  our  admiration 
and  praise;  the  boldness  in  the  conception  of  the  enterprise,  being 
even  surpassed  by  the  perfect  manner  in  which  all  its  parts  were 
executed.  Nothing  appears  to  have  been  wanting,  in  a  military 
point  of  view;  nothing  was  deranged;  nothing  defeated.  The  hour 
was  well  chosen,  and  no  doubt  it  was  a  chief  reason  why  the  corsairs, 
gun-boats,  and  butteries,  were,  in  the  first  place,  so  slow  in  com- 
mencing their  fire,  and  so  uncertain  in  their  aim  when  they  did  open 
on  the  Americans.  In  appreciating  the  daring  of  the  attempt,  we 
have  oiily  to  consider  wlitit  might  have  been  the  consequences  had 
the  assault  on  the  frigate  been  repulsed.  Directly  under  her  guns, 
with  a  harbour  filled  with  light  cruisers,  ffun-boats,  and  galleys,  and 
surrounded  by  forts  and  batteries,  the  inevitable  destruction  of  all  in 
the  Intrepid  must  have  followed.  These  were  dangers  that  cool 
steadiness  and  entire  self-possession,  ai(3ed  by  perfect  discipline,  could 
alone  avert.  In  the  service,  the  enterprise  'las  ever  been  regarded 
as  one  of  its  most  brilliant  achievements,  and  io  this  day,  it  is  deemed 
a  high  honour  to  have  been  among  the  Intrep'd's  crew.  The  eflTect 
on  the  squadron  then  abroad  can  scarcely  be  appreciated,  as  its  sea- 
men began  to  consider  ihemselves  invincible,  if  not  invulnerable, and 
were  ready  for  any  scrvice«!i  which  men  could  be  employed. 

*  It  would  socin  tliat  the  bottom  of  the  Pliiladolphia  floated  to  the  rocks,  wli(^re  what 
rcmriins  sliU  lies.  In  18^4,  the  Cumberland  44,  Capt.  Brcose,  visited  Tripoli,  when  that 
officer  ciiiistMl  fsoijii"  jjortions  of  the  wreck  to  be  broutrht  oft".  A  Icaf-cntter  made  of  this 
interestinu-  rclick,  has  been  presented  to  the  author,  by  his  old  friend  the  Commander 
of  the  Cumbeiknd. 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


235 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

The  Mediterranean  sipiadron  is  reinforced — Capture  of  the  Transfer,  by  the  Siren, 
Lieut.  Comdt.  Stewart — Assistance  obtained  from  the  Two  Sicilies — First  bombard- 
ment of  Tripoli — Attack  on  the  enemy's  gun-boats — Fierce  combat  and  capture  of 
two  boats,  by  Lieut.  Comdt.  Decatur — Lieut.  James  Decatur,  of  the  Nautilus,  killed — 
Gallant  conduct  of  Lieut.  Tripjie— he  captures  one  of  the  largest  gun-boats — llully  of 
the  enemy — they  are  driven  back. 

Thus  opened  the  year  1804.  The  great  distance,  however,  that 
lay  between  the  seat  of  war  and  the  country,  as  well  as  the  iufre- 
quency  of  direct  communications,  prevented  the  government  at  home, 
from  getting  early  information  of  what  was  passing  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean. As  a  consequence,  at  the  very  moment  when  Commodore 
Preble  was  beginning  to  show  that  energy  for  which  he  was  so  re- 
markable, the  department  was  making  preparations  for  superseding 
him  in  the  command,  not  from  dissatisfaction,  but,  as  was  then  be- 
lieved, from  necessity.  There  were  but  three  captains  in  the  navy 
junior  to  Preble,  and  one  of  these  was  a  captive  in  Tripoli.  The  loss 
of  the  Philadelphia  had  rendered  it  indispensable  to  send  out  another 
frigate,  at  least,  and  the  administration  had  now  begun  to  take  so 
serious  a  view  of  the  state  of  the  relations  of  the  country  with  all  the 
Barbary  powers,  as  to  see  the  importance  of  exhibiting  a  force  that 
should  look  down  any  further  attempts  on  a  trade,  which,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  general  war  that  prevailed  in  Europe,  was  beginning  to 
whiten  the  seas  of  the  old  world  with  American  canvass.  The  Em- 
peror of  Morocco,  who  was  said  to  be  a  relative  of  the  Bashaw  of 
Tripoli,  was  distrusted  in  particular,  and  many  little  occurrences  had 
se'ved  to  prove  the  interest  that  the  former  felt  in  the  affairs  of  the 
latter. 

As  soon  as  the  president  was  apprised  of  the  loss  of  the  Philadel- 
phia, therefore,  orders  had  been  given  to  prepare  the  required  addi- 
tional force.  So  little,  however,  had  the  real  government  of  the 
country  attended  to  this  all-important  branch  of  public  defence,  that 
it  was  far  easier  to  command  the  equipment  of  a  single  frigate,  than 
to  get  her  to  sea,  within  a  reasonable  time.  In  1804,  the  mercantile 
tonnage  of  the  United  Stat«s  was  actually  about  1,000,000  tons,  and 
yet  the  country  did  not  possess  a  single  dock,  public  or  private,  be- 
tween Maine  tind  Georgia.  The  unmeaning  clamour  against  all 
improvements  of  this  nature,  which  had  commenced  with  the  exist- 
ence of  the  new  administration,  was  still  continued,  and,  as  is  too 
often  witnessed  in  the  indiscriminate  and  unprincipled  strife  of  parties, 
they  who  professed  to  be  the  warmest  advocates  of  an  active  and 
growing  marine,  were  the  loudest  in  declaiming  against  those  very 
measures,  without  w^hich  no  navy  can  ever  be  efficient,  or  even 
moderately  useful.  In  the  actual  state  of  the  public  mind,  the  direct 
method  of  procuring  those  indispensable  requisites  of  a  marine,  dock- 
yards, w(?re  not  attempted,  but  very  insufficient  substitutes  had  been 
obtained  by  putting  a  liberal  construction  on  the  law  authorising  the 
building  of  the  six  seventy-fours,  for  which  purpose  building  yards 


« 
$ 


236 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


Kl 


were  thought  to  bo  ncccssury.  In  this  innmior,  ns  many  navy  yards, 
as  they  were  called,  for  neither  had  a  dock,  were  purchased,  and  an 
humble  commencement  of  these  indispensable  establishments  was 
made  at  Gosport,  Washiuffton,  Philadelphia,  Brooklyn,  Charlestown, 
and  Portsmouth,  N.  II.  Thus,  in  the  great  interests  connected  with 
a  navy,  as  in  every  thing  else  in  a  country  that  is  so  eminently  prac- 
tical, and  in  which  few  have  sufficient  leisure  to  cultivate  theories, 
the  facts  were  still  leading  opinion,  and  the  gallant  men  who  were 
slowly  fighting  themselves  into  favour,  were  merely  performing  an 
office  that  would  seem  to  be  inseparable  from  the  advancement  of 
every  free  people  in  civilisation. 

The  ships  that  it  was  now  decided  to  send  into  the  Mediterranean, 
were  the  President  44,  Congress  38,  Constellation  38,  and  Essex  32, 
They  were  put  in  commission  early  \n  the  season,  and  as  soon  as 
the  choice  was  made,  Commodore  Preble  was  apprised  of  it,  and  of 
the  necessity  that  existed  of  sending  out  two  officers  who  were  his 
seniors  in  rank.  About  the  same  time,  Mr.  Decatur  was  made  a 
captain,  for  the  destruction  of  the  Philadelphia,  and  the  service  re- 
ceived an  important  impulse  in  the  revival  ofthe  rank  of  masters  and 
commanders,  which,  it  will  be  remembered,  had  been  dropped  alto- 
gether, under  the  reduction  law  of  1801.  At  the  time  the  Phila- 
delphia was  retaken  and  burnt,  there  were  six  lieutenants  in  the 
Mediterranean  acting  as  lieutenants-commandant,  Messrs.  Stewart, 
Hull,  Smith,  Somers,  Decatur,  and  Dent,  and  of  these,  four  were 
senior  to  the  one  just  promoted.  As  Lieutenant  Commandant  Stew- 
art was  the  second  in  command  in  the  Mediterranean,  as  well  as  the 
oldest  lieutenant  of  the  service,  and  as  he  had  actually  accompanied 
the  expedition  in  person,  aiding  with  his  counsel,  and  ready  to  act 
on  an  emergency,  it  was  thought  that  something  more  ought  to  have 
been  done  for  the  gentlemen  over  wliose  heads  Mr.  Decatur  had  been 
elevated.  When  raised  to  be  a  captain,  Mr.  Decatur  was  the  eighth 
officer  of  his  station  in  the  navy,  and  it  would  have  been  more  in 
conformity  with  the  practices  of  old  and  well  established  marines,  to 
have  promoted  all  his  seniors,  as  they  were  all  known  to  be  qualified, 
and  several  had  already  distinguished  themselves,  even  in  commands. 
But  it  was  premature  to  expect  this  systematic  justice  in  a  service  so 
young,  and  which  niight  still  be  said  to  be  struggling  for  its  existence, 
and  the  class  of  masters  and  commanders  was  simply  re-established, 
Messrs.  Charles  Stewart,  Isaac  Hull,  Andrew  Sterrett,  John  Shaw, 
Isaac  Chatnicey,  .John  Smith,  Richard  Somers,  and  Ge.  rge  Cox, 
being  tlu!  gentlemen  who  were  first  appointed  to  this  rank  after  it 
had  been  rerunved  in  the  service.  These  promotions,  which  were 
connected  with  the  establishment  of  a  new  rank,  were  dated  in 
Blay,  1801,  althouirh  all  of  the  gentlemen  concerned,  who  were 
abro;id,  coiifiiuied  to  serve  in  their  old  capacities,  until  quite  near  the 
close  ofthe  season.* 

'  It  is  n  flirt  wortliy  of  bcinsr  niontionoil,  that  this  ranlt  was  rnvivod  jmrolyon  rxorntive 
rosiinnsil)ility,  niiil  it  \»  hi'licvcd  totally  wiiliout  law.  The  rommissions,  thoii'jh  issued 
in  th(>  nimv>  of  tlio  Pr(>sidi'iit,  \von<  not  si'-'nivi  by  that  finirtionary,  nor  was  tlu"  Sonate 
consulted  in  tl\o  matter.  In  sliort,  it  may  Ix;  (incstioncd  if  one  of  tlio  promotions  was 
livjal,  thon-'li  til.'  rii,'lil  of  the  parties  to  eomniaixl  was  indisimtable,  aslho  relative  rank 
was  not  disturbed. 


*Mr. 
suffer  tl. 
she  was 
years  a 
paid  in 


1 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


237 


The  Siren  and  Intrepid  returned  to  Syracuse,  after  the  successful 
attempt  on  the  Philadelphia,  on  the  19th  of  Fehruary  of  this  year. 
On  the  2d  of  March,  Commodore  Preble  who  had  so  divided  his 
force  as  to  keep  some  of  the  small  vessels  off  Tripoli  blockading, 
proceeded  to  Malta,  and  on  his  return,  he  sailed  again,  on  the  21st, 
for  the  station  off  the  enemy's  port.  The  Siren  16,  Lieutenant  Com- 
mandant Stewart,  and  Nautilus  12,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Somers, 
were  the  blockading  vessels  at  this  time,  and,  early  one  morning, 
while  coming  from  the  eastward  to  recover  lost  ground,  a  vessel  with 
the  appearance  ofubrigof  war  was  seen  lyii  g-to  in  the  offing.  As 
soon  as  he  made  the  Americans,  the  stranger  endeavoured  to  beat 
back  into  the  harbour  again,  out  of  which  he  had  lately  come,  but, 
the  Nautilus  being  sent  close  in  to  employ  the  gun-boats,  should 
they  attempt  to  come  out,  the  Siren  cut  him  off  from  the  port,  and 
soon  got  alongside.  This  vessel  proved  to  be  the  Transfer,  a  privateer 
out  of  Malta,  with  a  British  commission,  and  she  had  an  armament 
of  16  carronades,  and  a  crew  of  80  men.  When  the  Siren  ran  along- 
side, the  Transfer's  people  were  at  quarters,  but  no  resistance  being 
attempted,  she  was  captured  for  a  violation  of  the  blockade.  Subse- 
quent information  induced  Commodore  Preble  to  believe  that  she 
belonged,  in  fact,  to  the  Bashaw  of  Tripoli,  and  that  the  commission 
under  which  she  sailed  was  obtained  by  means  of  the  Tripolitan 
consul  in  Malta,  who  was  a  native  of  that  island,  and  for  whose 
appearance  on  board  the  brig  was  actually  waiting  when  taken. 

As  the  Transfer  had  been  an  English  gun-brig,  and  was  equipped 
for  war.  Commodore  Preble  sent  her  to  Syracuse,  where  she  was 
appraised,  manned,  and  taken  into  the  service  for  the  time  being. 
She  was  called  the  Scourge,  and  the  command  of  her  was  given 
to  Lieutenant  Commandant  Dent,  the  acting  captain  of  the 
Constitution.* 

Remaining  off  Tripoli,  a  few  days.  Commodore  Preble  was  next* 
actively  employed  in  running  from  port  to  port,  in  order  to  look  into 
the  affairs  of  the  different  regencies,  to  communicate  with  the  cap- 
tives in  Tripoli,  and  to  make  his  arrangements  for  pursuing  a  war- 
fare bettor  suited  to  bringing  the  bashaw  to  terms.  The  king  of  the 
Two  Sicilies  being  at  war  with  Tripoli,  also,  in  furtherance  of  the 
latter  duty,  the  Constitution  went  to  Naples,  in  order  to  obtain  some 
assistance  in  executing  these  projects.  Here  an  order  for  two  bomb- 
vessels  and  six  gun-boats  was  obtained,  with  the  necessary  equip- 
ments, and  Commodore  Preble  sailed  lor  Messina,  where  the  different 
craft  lay.  From  this  time  until  the  middle  of  July,  he  was  as  actively 
engaged  as  ever,  in  providing  for  the  wants  of  the  captives,  in  settling 
a  serious  difficulty  with  Tunis,  and  in  preparing  for  an  attack  on 
Tripoli ;  and  we  shall  quit  him,  for  a  moment,  to  return  to  move- 
ments before  that  place. 

*  Mr.  Joffcrpon  is  said  to  have  carried  his  hostility  to  blockades  so  far,  as  to  refuse  to 
BiifTur  the  Transfer  to  be  rej^ularly  condemned,  although,  after  her  arrival  in  America, 
she  was  sold,  and  the  money  was  pnt  in  the  treasury.  In  the  war  of  1812,  eight  or  ten 
years  afi(>r  her  capture,  the  briij  was  legally  condemned,  and  the  prize-money  was 
paid  in  IHlo! 


.  I 


. 


if     ' 

<     f 
■I     ^ 


it     1 


II 


238 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


In  April,  the  Siren,  Lieutenant  Commnndiint  Stewart;  Arjjus, 
Lieut  .  .nt  Commandant  Hull ;  Enterprise,  Lieutenant  Cuirniiand- 
ant  Decatur  ;  Vixen,  Lieutenant  Gommanduiit  Smith,  and  Scourge, 
Lieutenant  Commandant  Dent,  composed  the  blockadinij  force, 
when  a  felucca  was  seen  stealing  along  shore,  coming  from  the  west- 
ward, with  a  view  to  enter  the  harbour  in  a  fog.  A  general  chase 
ensued,  and  the  felucca  took  refuge  behind  a  reef  of  rocks,  about  ten 
miles  to  the  westward  of  Tripoli,  where  she  was  run  upon  a  beach 
of  sand.  The  Siren  now  made  a  signal  for  the  boats  to  go  in,  in 
order  to  destroy  the  enemy.  Mr.  Caldwell,  the  first  lieutenant  of 
the  Siren,  being  nearest  in,  went  ahead  with  the  launch  and  cutter 
of  that  brig,  while  the  others  followed  us  the  vessels  came  up.  As 
he  approached  the  shore,  the  boat  of  Mr.  Caldwell  got  on  a  sunken 
rock,  and  the  enemy,  who  had  begun  to  collect  in  force,  particularly 
in  cavalry,  opened  a  sharp  fire  of  musketry.  Several  of  the  Ameri- 
cans were  killed  and  wounded,  and  perceiving  that  the  enemy  were 
both  too  strong  and  too  well  posted  to  be  atr.vcked  by  so  fijeble  a  force, 
Mr.  Caldwell  returned,  directing  the  diflferent  boats,  as  he  met  them, 
to  retire  also. 

The  Argus  and  schooners  now  obtained  positions  where  they  could 
throw  their  shot  into  the  felucca,  which  was  soon  rendered  unsea- 
worthy.  While  this  was  doing,  the  Siren  ran  down,  opened  a  ravine 
in  which  the  Turks  were  posted,  and  dislodged  them  by  a  smart  dis- 
charge of  grape.  Afterwards,  a  broadside  or  two  were  thrown  in 
among  a  strong  body  of  cavalry,  which  had  the  effect  of  rendering 
them  cautious  in  their  operations  on  the  coast.  This  little  affair 
illustrates  the  nature  of  the  ordinary  warfare  that  was  then  carried 
on,  the  Tripolitans  sending  out  bodies  of  soldiers  to  cover  any  vessel 
that  was  expected  with  supplies.  On  this  occasion,  the  felucca  was 
said  to  be  loaded  with  salt,  an  article  that  then  bore  an  enormous 
price  in  Tripoli. 

It  was  July  the  21st,  1804,  when  Commodore  Preble  was  able  to 
sail  from  Malta,  with  all  the  force  he  had  collected,  to  join  the  vessels 
cruising  off"  Tripoli.  The  blockade  had  been  kept  up  with  vigour 
for  some  months,  and  the  commodore  felt  that  the  season  had  now 
arrived  for  more  active  operations.  He  had  with  him  the  Constitu- 
tion, Enterprise,  Nautilus,  the  two  bomb-vessels  and  the  six  gun- 
boats. The  bomb-vessels  were  only  of  thirty  tons  measurement,  and 
carried  a  thirteen-inch  mortar  each.  In  scarcely  any  respect  were 
they  suited  for  the  duty  that  was  expected  of  them.  The  gun-boats 
were  little  better,  being  shallow,  unseaworthy  craft,  of  about  twenty- 
five  tons  burthen,  in  which  long  iron  twenty-fours  had  been  mounted- 
Each  boat  had  one  gun,  and  thirty-five  men ;  the  latter,  with  the 
exception  of  a  few  Neapolivans,  being  taken  from  the  difllerent  vessels 
of  the  squadron.  The  Tripolitan  gun-boats,  which  have  already 
been  described,  were  altogether  superior,  and  the  duty  should  have 
been  exactly  reversed,  in  order  to  suit  the  qualities  of  the  respective 
craft ;  the  boats  of  Tripoli  having  been  built  to  go  on  the  coast,  while 
those  possessed  by  the  Americans  were  intended  solely  for  harbour 
defence.     In  addition  to  their  other  bad  qualities,  these  Neapolitan 


follo^il 
syster 
ThI 
with 
fi'om 
camel 
to  bloj 
a  sigij 
Fortnj 
woulfl 
carj-yij 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


2«9 


lective 
while 
trbour 
lolitan 


boats  were  found  neither  to  sail  nor  to  row  even  tolcrnbly  well.  It 
was  necessary  to  tow  them,  by  larger  vessels,  the  moment  they  jrot 
into  rongh  water ;  and  when  it  blew  heavily,  there  was  always  danfrcr 
of  towing  tisem  under.  In  addition  to  this  force.  Commodore  PreMe 
had  obtained  six  long  twenty-six-ponnders  for  the  upper-deck  of  the 
Constitution,  which  were  mounted  in  the  waist. 

When  the  American  commander  assembled  his  whole  force  before 
Tripoli,  on  the  25th  of  July,  1804,  it  consisted  of  the  Constiuition 
44,  Commodore  Preble;  Siren  16,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Stewart; 
Argus  1(5,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Hull;  Scourge  14,  Lieutenant 
Commandant  Dent ;  Vixen  12,   Lieutenant  C(/hnnandant  Smith  ; 
Nautilus  12,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Somers  ;  Enterprise  12,  Lieu- 
tenant Commandant  Decatur  ;  the  two  bomb-vessi"ls,  and  six  gun- 
boats.    In  some  respects  this  was  a  well  appointed  force  for  the  duty 
required,   while  in  others  it  was   lamentably   deficient.     Another 
heavy  ship,  in  pa'-ticular,  was  wanted,  and  the  means  for  bombarding 
had  all  the  defects  that  may  be  anticipated.     The  two  heaviest  brigs 
had  armaments  of  twenty-four-pound  carronades ;  the  other  brig, 
and  two  of  the  schooners,  armaments  of  eighteen-pound  carronades  ; 
while  the  Enterprise  retained  her  original  equipment  of  long  sixes, 
in  consequence  of  her  ports  being  unsuitcd  to  the  new  guns.     As 
the  Constitution  had  a   gun-deck   battery   of  thirty   long  twenty- 
fours,  with  six  long  twenty-sixes,  and  some  lighter  long  guns  above, 
it  follows  that  the  Americans  could  bring  twenty-two  twenty-fours 
and  six  twenty-sixes  to  bear  on  the  stone  walls  of  the  town,  in  addi- 
tion to  a  few  light  chase-guns  in  the  small  vessels,  and  the  twelve- 
pounders  of  the  frigate's  quarter-deck  and  forcca.«tle.     On  the  whole, 
there  ap))ears  to  have  been  in  the  squadron,  twenty-eight  heavy  long 
guns,  with  about  twenty  lighter,  that  might  be  brouglit  to  play  on  the 
batteries  simultaneously.     Opposed  to  these  means  of  offence,  the 
bashaw  had  one  hundred  and  fifteen  guns  in  battery,  most  of  them 
quite  heavy,  and  nineteen  gun-boats  that,  of  themselves,  so  far  as 
metal  was  concerned,  were  nearly  equal  to  the  frigate.     Moored  in 
the  harbour  were  also  two  large  galleys,  two  schooners,  and  a  brig, 
all  of  which  were  armed  and  strongly  manned.     The  American 
squadron  was  manned  by  one  thousand  and  sixty  persons,  all  told, 
while  the  bashaw  had  assembled  a  force  that  has  been  estimated  as 
high  as  twenty-five  thousand,  Arabs  and  Turks  included.     The  only 
advantages  possessed  by  the  assailants,  in  the  warfare  that  is  so  soon  to 
follow,  were  those  which  are   dependent  on  spirit,  discipline,  and 
system. 

The  vessels  could  not  anchor  until  the  2Sth,  when  they  ran  in, 
with  the  wind  at  E.  S.  E.,  and  came-to,  by  signal,  about  a  league 
from  the  town.  This  was  hardly  done,  however,  before  the  wind 
came  suddenly  round  to  N.  N,  W.,  thence  to  N.  N.  E.,  and  it  began 
to  blow  strong,  with  aheavy  sea  settingdirectly  on  shore.  At  6  P.  M., 
a  signal  was  made  for  the  vessels  to  weigh,  and  to  gain  an  offing. 
Fortunately,  the  wind  continued  to  haul  to  the  eastward,  or  there 
would  have  been  great  danger  of  towing  the  gun-boats  under,  while 
carrying  sail  to  claw  off  the  land.     The  gale  continued  to  increase 


•5 


I  f 


ii40 


NAVAL   IIISTOUY. 


[1804. 


until  tlu;  31st,  wlitu  it  blew  treintiidoiisly.  The  courses  of  tlie  Con- 
stitutfou  were  hlowu  nwuy,  thou<r|i  reefed,  and  it  would  Inive  been 
impossible  to  save  the  bomb-vessels  and  irun-boats,  hud  not  the  wind 
hauled  so  far  to  the  southward  as  to  give  them  the  advantage  of  a 
weather  shore,  and  of  comparatively  smooth  water.  Fortunately, 
the  gale  ceased  the  next  day. 

On  the  third  of  August,  1801,  the  squadron  ran  in  again  and  got 
within  a  league  of  the  town,  with  a  pleasant  breeze  at  the  eastward. 
The  enemy's  gun-boats  and  galleys  had  come  outside  of  the  rocks, 
and  were  lying  therein  two  divisions  ;  one  near  the  eastern,  and  the 
othci  near  the  western  entrance,  or  about  half  a  mile  apart.  At  the 
same  time,  it  was  seen  that  all  the  batteries  were  nmnned,  as  if  an 
attack  was  not  only  expected,  but  invited. 

At  half-past  12,  the  Constitution  wore  with  her  head  offshore,  and 
showed  a  signal  for  all  vessels  to  come  within  hail.  As  he  came  up, 
each  commander  was  ordered  to  prepare  to  attack  the  shipping  and 
batteries.  The  bomb-vessels  and  gun-boats  were  immediately 
manned,  and  such  was  the  high  state  of  discipline  in  the  s(piadron, 
that  in  one  hour,  every  thing  was  ready  for  the  contemplated  service. 

On  this  occasion,  Cojnmodore  Preble  made  the  following  distribu- 
tion of  that  part  of  his  force,  which  was  maimed  from  the  other  ves- 
sels of  his  squadron. 

One  bombard  was  commanded  by  Lieutenant  Commandant  Dent, 
of  the  Scourge. 

The  othet  bombard  by  Mr.  Robuison,  first  lieutenant  of  the  Con- 
stitution. 

First  Division  of  gun-boats. 
No.  1.  Lieut.  Com.  Somers,  of  the  Nautilus. 

2.  Lieut.  James  Decatur,  of  the  Nautilus. 

3.  Lieut.  Blake,  of  the  Argus. 

Second  division  of  gun-boats. 
No.  4.  Lieut.  Com.  Decatur,  of  the  Enterprise. 
"     5.  Lieut.  Bainbridge,  of  the  Enterprise. 
"     C.  Lieut.  Trippe,  of  the  Vixen. 

At  half  past  one,  the  Constitution  wore  again,  and  stood  towards 
the  town.  At  two,  the  gun-boats  were  cast  off,  and  formed  in  ad- 
vance, covered  by  the  brigs  and  schooners,  and  half  an  hour  later, 
the  signal  was  shown  to  engage.  The  attack  was  commenced  by 
the  two  bombards,  which  began  to  throw  shells  into  the  town.  It 
was  followed  by  the  batteries,  which  were  instantly  in  a  blaze,  and 
then  the  shipping  on  both  sides  opened  their  fire,  within  reach  of  grape. 

The  eastern,  or  most  weatherly  division  of  the  enemy's  gun-borits, 
nine  in  number,  as  being  least  supported,  was  the  aim  of  the  Ameri- 
can gun-boats.  But  the  bad  qualities  of  the  latter  craft  were  quickly 
apparent,  for,  as  soon  as  Mr.  Decatur  steered  towards  the  enemy, 
with  an  intention  to  come  to  close  quarters,  the  division  of  Mr,  Som- 
ers, which  was  a  little  to  leeward,  found  it  difficult  to  sustain  him. 
Every  effort  was  made  by  the  latter  officer,  to  get  far  enough  to  wind- 
ward to  join  in  the  attack,  but  finding  it  impracticable,  he  bore  up, 
and  ran  down  alone  on  five  of  the  enemy  to  leeward,  and  engaged 


(I 


not  o 
the  SI 
chiva 
the  n; 
tails, 
seven 
Li( 
soone 
along 
lowe(I 
of  his| 
hy  tx 
side, 
open 
nateh 
ready! 
after  i 
netedl 
Nol 
than 
Kami 
of  hisl 
larnfe 
pike. 

•Th| 
it  was  i 
from  cd 

tHn 

t  It  ii 
of  tho 
muakc'tl 

voi 


1804.] 


NAVAI.  iriHTOUV. 


241 


thc'iii  all  within  pistuj-itliot,  throwing  .showfiH  of  grupu,  ennniiter,  and 
inutikct-biillii  (unoiig  them.  In  order  to  do  thin,  iih  Hoon  m*  near 
enough,  the  nweeps  were  got  out,  and  the  boat  was  hacked  astern  to 
prevent  her  from  drifting  in  urnong  the  enemy.  No.  5J  was  closing 
fast,  hut  a  signal  of  recall*  being  shown  from  the  Constitution,  she 
luiuhul  out  of  the  line  to  obey,  and  losing  ground,  she  kept  nmre  aloof, 
firing  at  the  boats  and  shipping  in  the  harbour,  while  IVo.  2,  Mr. 
.Tames  Decatur,  was  enabled  to  join  the  division  to  windward.  No. 
5,  Mr.  IJainbridge,  lost  her  latine-yard,  while  still  in  tow  of  the  Siren, 
but,  though  unable  to  close,  she  continued  advancing,  keeping  up  a 
heavy  fire,  and  firmlly  touched  on  the  rocks. 

By  these  changes.  Lieutenant  Commandant  Decaturt  had  three 
boats  that  dashed  forward  with  him,  though  one  belonged  to  the 
division  of  Mr.  Somers,  vi/.  No.  4,  No.  0,  and  No.  2.  Tlie  officers 
in  command  of  these  three  boats,  went  steadily  on,  until  within  the 
smoke  of  the  enemy.  Here  they  delivered  their  fire,  throwing  in  a 
tcrnl)lc  discharge  of  grape  and  musket-balls,  and  the  order  was  given 
to  board.  Up  to  this  moment,  the  odds  had  been  as  three  to  (»ne 
against  the  assailants,  and  it  was  now,  if  j)ossible  increased.  The 
brigs  and  schooners  could  no  longer  assist.  The  Turkish  boats  were 
not  only  the  heaviest  and  the  best  in  every  sense,  but  they  were  much 
the  strongest  manned.  The  combat  now  assumed  a  character  of 
chivalroui"  prowess  and  of  desperate  personal  eftbrts,  that  belongs  to 
the  middle  ages,  rather  than  to  struggles  of  our  own  times.  Its  de- 
tails, indeed,  savour  more  of  the  glow  of  romance,  than  of  the  sober 
severity  that  we  are  accustomed  to  associate  with  reality. 

Lieutenant  Commandant  Decatur  took  the  lead.  ITo  had  no 
sooner  discharged  his  shower  of  mnsket-bnlls,  than  No.  4  was  laid 
alongside  the  opposing  boat  of  the  enemy,  and  he  went  into  her,  fol- 
lowed by  Lieutenant  Thorn,  Mr.  M'Donough,  and  all  the  Americans 
of  his  crew.  The  Tripolitan  boat  was  divided  nearly  in  two  parts, 
by  a  long  open  hatchway,  and  as  the  peopleof  No.  4came  in  on  one 
side,  the  Turks  retreated  to  the  other,  making  a  sort  of  ditch  of  the 
open  space.  This  caused  an  instant  of  delay,  and,  perhaps,  fortu- 
nately, for  it  permitted  the  assailants  to  act  together.  As  soon  as 
ready,  Mr.  Decatur  charged  round  each  end  of  the  hatchway,  and 
after  a  short  struggle,  a  portion  of  the  Turks  wore  piked  and  bayo- 
neted, while  the  rest  submitted,  or  leaped  into  tlie  water.| 

No  sooner  had  Mr.  Decatur  got  possession  of  the  boat  first  assailed, 
than  he  took  her  in  tow,  and  bore  down  on  the  one  next  to  leeward. 
Running  the  enemy  aboard,  as  before,  he  went  into  him,  with  most 
of  his  officers  and  men.  The  captain  of  the  Tripolitan  vessel  was  a 
large  powerful  man,  and  Mr.  Decatur  personally  charged  him  with  a 
pike.     The  weapon,  however,  was  seized  by  the  Turk,  wrested  from 

•  This  Hitfiial  was  bent  on  by  mistake,  and  was  abroad  p  moment  only,  but  the  fact  that 
it  was  shown,  was  establisihcd  before  a  Court  of  Inquiry,  which  exonerated  Mr.  Blake 
from  censure. 

t  He  was  Captain  Decatur  at  the  time,  butthe  fact  waB  not  yet  known  in  the  squadron. 

t  It  is  probable  that  the  crewof  thi.«  boat  was  in  a  measure  stagtfcrod  by  the  close  fire 
of  the  gun,  as  No.  4  aijjiroached,  her  cuntain  having  received  no  fewer  than  fourteen 
musket-balls  in  his  body,  by  that  one  discharge. 
VOL.    I.  16 


1      ! 


M 


■I 


242 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


tlio  IiiiikIm  of  th«  nxHiiiliuit,  imd  tiirnrjl  iijjfiiiiHf  Ifsowiirr.  Tlif  Intfor 
|)tin'if(l  II  thriiMt,  aiul  tiiiult*  a  blow  willi  his  sword  at  tlir  pike,  >\itli  n 
view  to  cut  ofV  its  head.  The  sword  hit  \\\r  iron,  and  hrolu!  at  tho 
hih,  and  at  the  next  instant  tho  Turk  niado  another  thrust.  Noth- 
ing was  left  to  tho  ^alhint  Decatur,  hut  his  ami,  with  which  he  so  far 
averted  the  hlow,  as  to  receive  the  pike  thron<!;h  the  (h'sh  of  om-  hreast. 
Pushin^^  the  iron  from  the  wound,  by  tearing?  the  flesh,  he  sprang 
within  the  w<'a|)on,  and  fjrappled  his  aiitajjonist.  The  pike  fell  be- 
tween the  two,  and  a  short  trial  of  strenjfth  succeedtd,  in  which  the 
Turk  Mj'vailed.  As  the  combatants  fell,  however,  Mr.  Decatur  so 
far  released  himself  as  to  lie  side  by  side  with  his  foe  on  the  deck. 
The  Tripolitan  now  eiuleavoured  to  reach  his  jioniard,  while  hid 
hand  w  is  firmly  held  liy  that  of  his  enemy.  At  this  critical  instant, 
when  life  or  death  depended  on  a  moment  well  employed,  or  a  mo- 
ment lost,  Mr.  Decatur  drew  a  small  i)istol  from  a  pocket,  passed  the 
arm  that  was  free  round  the  body  oi'\\u\  Turk,  pointed  the  mn/zle  in, 
mid  fired.  The  liall  passed  entirely  throu<,di  the  body  of  the  Mussel- 
man,  ami  Io«l«i;ed  in  the  clothes  ot  his  foe.  At  the  same  instant, 
Mr.  Decatur  felt  the  jjfrasp  that  iiad  almost  smothered  him  relax,  and 
he  was  liberated.  He  sprang  up,  and  the  Tripolitan  lay  iliad  at  his 
feet. 

In  such  a  mcl6c  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  the  struggle  of  the  two 
leaders  would  go  unnoticed.  An  enemy  raised  his  sabre  to  cleave  the 
skull  of  Mr.  DccnMir,  while  he  was  occupied  by  his  enemy,  and  a 
young  man  of  the  Enterprise's  crew  interposed  an  arm  to  save  him. 
The  blow  was  intercepti.'d,  but  the  limb  was  severed  to  a  bit  of  skin. 
A  fresh  rush  was  now  made  upon  the  enemy,  who  was  o\ercome 
without  much  further  resistance. 

An  idea  of  the  desjicrate  nature  of  the  fighting  that  distinguished 
this  remarkable  assault,  may  be  gained  from  the  amount  of  the  loss. 
The  two  boats  captured  by  Tiieiiteiinnt  Commandant  Decatur,  had 
about  eighty  men  in  them,  of  whom  fifty-two  are  known  to  have  been 
killed  and  wounded  ;  most  of  the  latter  very  badly.  As  only  eight 
firisoncrs  were  made  who  were  not  wounded,  and  many  jumped  over- 
board, and  swam  to  the  rocks,  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  Turks 
suffered  still  more  severely.  Lieutenant  Commandant  Decatur  him- 
self being  wounded,  he  secured  his  second  prize,  and  hauled  off  to 
rejoin  the  squadron  ;  all  the  rest  of  the  enemy's  division  that  were 
not  taken,  having  by  this  time,  run  into  the  hnrbour,  by  passing 
through  the  opcninsrs  between  the  rocks. 

While  Lieutenant  Commandant  Decatur  was  thus  employed  to 
windward,  his  brother,  Mr.  James  Decatur,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the 
Nautilus,  was  nobly  emulating  his  example  in  No.  2.  Reserving  his 
fire  like  No.  4,  this  young  officer  dashed  into  the  smoke,  and  was  on 
the  point  of  boarding,  when  he  received  a  musket  ball  in  his  forehead. 
The  boats  met  and  rebounded  ;  and  in  the  confusion  of  the  death 
of  the  commanding  officer  of  No.  2,  the  Turk  was  enabled  to  escape, 
under  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Americans.  It  was  said,  at  the  time, 
that  the  enemy  had  struck  before  Mr.  Decatur  fell,  though  the  fact 


a  ver) 

•Wfl 
liim,  frj 
imssedT 

tllOllijtltl 

sIh!  will 
which  ll 


1804.] 


NAVAL  IIISTOUY. 


24;l 


tnuHt  remain  in  duubt.     It  i>,  howuver,  believed  that  lu;  MiBtuiiiLil  a 
very  Hi.'vere  lods. 

Ill  the  iiiiMiii  time,  Mr.  Trippo,  in  No.  0,  the  liiMt  oftlK;  tbrce  bonis 
that  were  able  to  reach  tin;  weathrr  diviNioti,  was  not  idh*.  Kistrv- 
ing  hiH  tire,  hUe  the  otherH,  he  deUvered  it  with  deadly  ellei-.t,  \Nben 
chj8in^,  and  went  aboard  of  his  enemy  in  the  Hinolu-.  In  this 
instance,  the  boats  also  separai^d  Uy  the  shock  id'  the  eolhsioii,  h>uv- 
ing  Mr.  Trip|)e,  witii  Mr.  J.  1).  lleidey,  and  nine  men  oni^,  wu 
board  the  Tripiditan.  Here,  too,  the  coininaiuh'i's  sinifhul  each  oth(!r 
out,  and  a  severe  personal  eciiibat  occurred,  while  the.woric  ofdcuih 
was  i;;oin<r  on  arunnd  them.  Tin;  Turk  was  youti<^,  and  of  a  lar^o 
athletic  form,  and  he  soon  compelled  his  sli<;litcr  but  more  active  fuu 
to  fight  with  canti(n).  Advancino-  on  Mr.  Trippe,  he  wonid  strike  n 
blow  and  receive  a  thrnst  in  return.  In  tiiis  manner,  he  ^ave  the 
American  eonimander  no  less  than  eight  sabre  wounds  in  the  head, 
and  two  in  the  l)rcast ;  when,  making  a  siidden  rush,  he  struck  a 
ninth  blow  on  the  head,  which  brought  Mr.  Tri|ipe  upon  a  knee. 
Rallying  all  his  f(U'ce  in  a  desptTate  eilbrt,  the  latter,  who  still  retain- 
ed the  short  pike  with  wiiich  he  fought,  nutde  a  thrust  that  passed 
the  weapon  tlirough  his  gigantic  adversary,  atid  tumbled  iiini  on  ,ah 
back.  As  soon  as  the  Tripolitan  ofticer  fell,  the  remainder  of  his 
people  submitted. 

The  boat  taken  by  Mr.  Tripj)e,  was  one  of  the  largest  belor"ing 
to  the  bashaw.  The  number  of  her  men  is  not  positively  ki  .n\;  , 
but,  living  and  dead,  thirty-six  were  found  in  her,  of  whom  t\v  .'nty- 
ono  were  cither  killed  or  wounded.  When  it  is  remcnd)crcd  that  but 
eleven  Americans  boarded  her,  the  achievement  must  pass  for  one 
of  the  most  gallant  on  record.* 

All  this  time  the  cannonade  and  bombardment  continued  without 
censing.  Lieutenant  Commandant  Somers,  in  No.  1,  sustained  by 
the  brigs  and  schooners,  had  forced  the  remainingboats  to  retreat,  and 
this  resolute  officer  pressed  them  so  hard,  as  to  be  compelled  to  ware 
within  a  short  distance  of  a  battery  of  twelve  guns,  quite  near  the 
mole.  Her  destruction  seemed  inevitable,  as  the  boat  Cfllllb  siowiy 
round,  when  a  shell  fell  into  the  battery,  most  opportunely  blew  up 
the  ])latfonn,  and  drove  t!ic  enemy  out,  to  a  man.  .T<«^fore  the  guns 
could  be  again  used  the  lioat  had  got  in  tow  oi'  ouii  of  the  small 
vessels. 

There  was  a  division  of  five  boats  and  two  galleys  of  the  enemy, 
that  had  been  held  in  reserve  within  the  rocks,  and  these  rallied  their 
retreating  countrymen,  and  made  two  efforts  to  come  out  and  inter- 
cept the  Americans  and  their  prizes,  but  they  were  kept  in  check  by 
the  fire  of  the  frigate  and  small  vessels.  The  Constitution  maintained 
a  very  heavy  fire,  and  silenced  several  of  the  batteries,  though  they 

*  While  Mr.  Trippe  was  flo  hard  pressed  by  his  antaqonist,  a  Turk  aimed  a  blow  at 
him,  from  behiiiii,  hut  just  before  the  latter  strupk,  Sert^oant  Meredith,  of  the  niarinos, 
pUHSed  a  bayonet  tlironi^h  his  body.  While  the  prizes  were  haulint;  off,  no  one  had 
thouc:ht,  in  the  confusion  of  sueh  a  scene,  of  lowering  llio  IIiil.'  of  the  Tripolitan  boat,  and 
Rlie  was  seen  advancint;  with  tli(>  enemy's  ensign  set.  The  Vixen  cave  her  a  broadside, 
which  brouijiit  down  colours,  mast,  latiiic-yard,  and  all.    Fortunately,  no  one  was  hurt. 


244 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


1       V 

r 

i 

'■  1 

re-opened  as  soon  as  she  had  passed.     The  bombards  were  covered 
with  the  spray  of  shot,  but  continued  to  throw  shells  to  the  last. 

At  half  past  four,  the  wind  coming  round  to  the  northward,  a 
signal  was  made  for  the  gun-boats  and  bomb-vessels  to  rejoin  the 
small  vessels,  and  another  to  take  them  and  the  prizes  in  tow.  The 
last  order  was  handsomely  executed  by  the  brings  and  schooners, 
under  cover  of  a  blaze  of  fire  from  the  frigate.  A  quarter  of  an 
hour  later,  the  Constitution  herself  hauled  oif,  and  ran  out  of  gun-shot. 

Thus  terminated  the  first  serious  attack  that  was  made  on  the 
town  and  batteries  of  Tripoli.  Its  effect  on  the  enemy,  was  of  the 
most  salutary  kind  ;  the  manner  in  which  their  gun-boats  had  been 
taken,  by  boarding,  having  made  a  lasting  and  deep  impression. 
The  superiority  of  the  Christians  in  gunnery,  was  generally  admitted 
before,  but  here  was  an  instance  in  which  the  Turks  had  been  over- 
come, by  inferior  numbers,  hand  to  hand,  a  species  of  conflict  in 
which  they  had  been  thought  particularly  to  excel.  Perhaps  no 
instance  of  more  desperate  fighting  of  the  sort,  without  defensive 
armour,  is  to  be  found  in  the  pages  of  history.  Three  gun-boats 
were  sunk  in  the  harbour,  in  addition  to  the  three  that  were  taken, 
and  the  loss  of  the  Tripolitans  by  shot,  must  have  been  very  heavy. 
About  fifty  shells  were  thrown  into  the  town,  but  little  damage 
appears  to  have  been  done  in  this  way,  very  few  of  the  bombs,  on 
account  of  the  imperfect  materials  that  had  been  furnished,  exploding. 
The  batteries  were  a  good  deal  damaged,  but  the  town  suffered  no 
essential  injury. 

On  the  part  of  the  Americans,  only  14  were  killed  and  wounded  in 
the  affair,  and  all  of  these,  with  the  exception  of  one  man,  belonged 
to  the  gun-boats.  The  Constitution,  though  under  fire  two  hours, 
escaped  much  better  than  could  have  been  expected.  She  received 
one  heavy  shot  through  her  main-mast,  had  a  quarter-deck  gun 
injured,*  and  was  a  good  deal  cut  up  aloft.  The  enemy  had  calcu- 
lated his  range  for  a  more  distant  cannonade,  and  generally  overshot 
the  ships.  By  this  mistake,  the  Constitution  had  her  main-royal 
yard  shot  away. 

On  the  occasion  of  the  battle  of  the  .3d  of  August,  the  ofiicers  who 
had  opportunities  of  particularly  distinguishing  themselves,  were 
Lieutenants  Commandant  Decatur  .';nd  Somers;  Lieutenants  Trippe, 
Decntur,  Bainbridge,  and  Thorn,  and  Messrs.  M'Donough,  Henley, 
iiidgely,  and  Miller.  But  the  whole  squadron  behaved  well;  and 
the  Constitution  vas  handled^  under  the  fire  of  the  batteries,  with  the 
steadiness  of  a  s'  .p  Avorking  into  a  roadsted. 

'  A  shot  came  in  aft,  hit  the  gun,  and  broke  in  several  pieces.  Commodore  Preble 
was  directly  in  its  range,  but  he  escaped  by  the  shot's  breaking.  One  of  the  fragments 
took  ofl'  the  tip  of  a  marine's  elbow,  quite  near  him. 


ward 
gun-vj 
the  3(1 

At 
pssset 
taken  I 
up. 

*  Mr.| 
l>oct(>dlJ 
surprisd 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


245 


CHAPTER  XXIII, 

Capl.  Morris  boards  and  carries  a  French  p'ivatecr  by  surprise — Three  captured  gun- 
boatK  brought  into  service — Second  bouibardnient — Gun-boat,  No.  8,  blown  up — Lieut. 
Caldwell  and  Mr.  Kennedy  among  the  killed — Notice  of  Mr.  Kennedy — Arrival  of  the 
John  Adams,  Capt.  Chauncey — The  Bashaw  is  disposed  to  treat — his  propositions 
rejected — Third  bombardment,  without  effect — Fourth  bombardment— does  much 
injury  to  the  town — Capt.  Bainbridge  (a  prisoner  in  the  castle)  is  wounded  in  his  bed 
by  the  rebound  of  a  snot — Fifth  bombardment — Now  disposition  of  tlie  forces — The 
enemy's  batteries  silenced  by  the  brisk  fire  of  the  Constitution. 

The  vessels  hauled  off  and  anchored  about  two  leagues  from 
Tripoli,  to  repair  their  damages.  On  the  morning  of  the  5th,  the 
Argus  brought-to  a  small  French  privateer  that  had  just  got  out  of 
the  harbour,  and  Commodore  Preble  induced  her  commander  to 
return  and  carry  in  all  the  badly  wounded  among  his  prisoners.* 
From  the  captain  of  this  vessel,  he  learned  that  the  enemy  had  suf- 
fered even  more  than  had  been  expected  in  the  attack  of  the  3d, 
particularly  in  and  about  the  port.  On  the  7th,  the  privateer  came 
out,  bringing  a  letter  from  the  French  consul,  stating  that  the 
bashaw  was  much  more  disposed  to  treat  than  previously  to  the  late 
affair,  and  advising  the  commodore  to  send  in  a  flag  of  truce,  with 
a  view  to  negotiate.  As  the  castle  made  no  signal  to  support  this 
proposition,  it  was  not  regarded. 

Between  the  3d  and  the  7tli,  the  squadron  was  occupied  in  altering 
the  rig  of  the  three  captured  gun-boats,  and  in  putting  them  in  a  con- 
dition for  service.  As  soon  as  the  latter  were  equipped,  they  were 
numbered  7,  8,  and  9,  and  the  command  of  them  was  given  to  Lieu- 
tenants Crane,  Caldwell,  and  Thorn.  At9  A.  M.,  on  the  7th,  the  light 
vessels  weighed,  and  the  bombards  proceeded  to  take  a  position  in  a 
small  bay  to  the  westward  of  the  town,  where  they  were  not  much 
exposed  to  shot.  At  half  past  2,  the  bombards,  having  gained  their 
anchorage,  commenced  throwing  shells,  and  the  gim-boats  opened  a 
heavy  fire  on  the  batteries.  The  effect  on  the  iatter  was  soon 
apparent,  and  many  of  their  guns  were  rendered  useless,  lli  the 
height  of  the  cannonade,  a  strange  vessel  appeared  in  the  ofling,  and 
tlie  Argus  was  sent  in  chase.  The  enemy  now  began  to  get  his 
galleys  and  gun-boats  in  motion,  and  once  or  twice  they  advanced 
tovviird  the  opening  between  the  rocks,  and  commenced  a  fire  ;  but 
the  Constitution,  Nautilus,  and  Enterprise,  being  stationed  to  wind- 
ward to  cut  them  off,  and  the  Siren  and  Vixen  lying  near  the  American 
gun-vessels  to  cover  the  latter,  the  enemy,  after  the  lesson  received  on 
the  3d,  were  afraid  to  venture. 

At  half  past  3,  or  after  the  actio-i  had  lasted  about  an  hour,  a  shot 
psssed  through  the  magazine  of  No.  8,  Lieutenant  Caldwell,  the  boat 
taken  by  Mr.  Trippc  in  the  affair  of  the  3d,  and  she  immediately  blew 
up.     Wlien  the  smoke  cleared  away,  all  the  after  part  of  the  boat 

*  Mr.  Morris  of  tlin  Argus  was  rowing  guard,  close  in,  when  ho  found  himself  iinex- 
poctedly  alongside  of  a  strange  sail.  Without  hesitating,  he  boarded  and  carried  her  by 
surprise,  when  she  proved  to  bo  tlie  privateer  in  questioa 


I- 


•i    f 


!  \i 


246 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804 


was  under  water,  while  Mr.  Robert  T.  Spcnofe,  of  tl»e  Siren,  niul  II 
men,  were  forward,  loadinfj  the  long  twenty-six-pounder  that  formed 
her  armament.  This  gun  was  loaded,  and  fired,  and  its  gallant  crew 
gave  three  cheers,  as  their  vessel  sunk  beneath  them.  Mr.  Spt-ncc, 
who  could  not  swim,  saved  himself  on  an  oar,  while  the  nst  of  the 
people  got  on  board  the  different  boats,  where  they  continued  to  fight 
during  the  remainder  of  the  action. 

No.  8,  when  she  blew  up,  had  a  crew  of  28  persons  in  all,  of  whom 
10  were  killed  and  6  wounded.  Among  the  former  was  Mr.  Cald- 
well, her  commander,  the  first  lieutenant  of  the  Siren,  and  Mr. 
Dorsey,  a  midshipman  of  the  same  vessel.  These  two  offieors 
were  greatly  regretted,  as  both  bade  fair  to  be  ornaments  to  their 
profession.* 

At  half  past  5,  or  after  the  cannonade  had  lasted  nearly  throe  hours, 
the  Constitution  made  a  signal  for  the  brigs  and  schooners  to  take 
the  bombards  and  gun-boats  in  tow,  and  the  squadron  hauled  off  for 
its  anchorage  again.  Just  at  this  time,  the  Argus  made  a  signal  that 
the  sail  in  sight  was  a  friend. 

The  gun-boats,  in  this  attack,  suffered  considerably.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  wind's  being  on-shore.  Commodore  Preble  had  kept  the 
frigate  out  of  the  action,  and  the  enemy's  batteries  had  no  interruption 
from  the  heavy  fire  of  that  ship.  Several  of  the  American  boats  had 
been  hulled,  and  all  suffered  materially  in  their  sails  and  riggii\g. 
No.  G,  Lieutenant  Wadsworth,  had  her  latine-yard  shot  away.  The 
killed  and  wounded  amounted  to  18  men. 

At  8  o'clock  in  the  evening,  the  .Tohn  Adams  28,  Captain  Chuun- 
cey,  from  America,  came  within  hail  of  the  Constitution,  and  re|)ortod 
herself.  By  this  ship.  Commodore  Preble  received  des|KUehes  in- 
forming him  of  the  equipment  of  the  vessels  that  were  to  come  out 
under  Commodore  Barron,  and  of  the  necessity,  whic'>  '.us  thought 
to  exist,  of  superseding  him  in  the  command.  Captam  i/hamicey 
also  stated  the  probability  of  the  speedy  arrival  of  the  expected  ships, 
which  were  to  sail  shortly  after  his  own  departure.  As  the  John 
Adams  had  brought  stores  for  the  squadron,  and  had  put  most  of  her 
gun-carriages  in  the  other  frigates  to  enable  her  to  do  so,  slu^  could 
be  of  no  immediate  use  ;  and  the  rest  of  the  v<'ssels  being  so  sooji 
expected.  Commodore  Preble  was  induced  to  delay  the  other  attacks 
he  had  meditated,  oji  the  ground  of  prudence. 


*  Mr.  Edmund  P.  Ki^niied  one  of  the  snnncr's  crew  holontrini,'  to  ilio  Sirrn,  wns  the 
captain  of  the  ^uii,  on  boiird  A  0.8.  wlien  she  blow  up.  Mr.  Ki'nne<Jy  was  u  ,vounui;eii- 
tleman  of  Maryland,  who  had  ijuilted  whool  in  quo.it  of  adventure,  tind,  havini;  hetin 
impressed  into  the  British  navy,  on  obtaining  his  dischariio  in  the  Mediterranean,  he 
entered  undijr  the  Ha^  of  his  country.  In  ronsocinence  of  his  .ifood  eondiict  on  'ins 
occasion,  and  from  a  desire  lo  place  liin»  in  a  station  better  suited  to  hid  itrettMisionii, 
Commodore  Prel)le  niadi;  Mr.  Kennedy  nn  acting  midshijiman.  The  appointment  wiw 
confirmed  at  home,  and  thii  irentleman  in  ipiestion  lias  since  worn  a  broad  pennant.  It 
is  believt.'d  that  this  oflicer  ami  one  other,  have  been  the  only  two  in  tile  navy  who  could 
boast  of  having  gcmc  through  :ill  the  gnidations  of  the  airvice,  from  forward.'all. 

During'  the  attack  of  the  7tli  LieutiMiant  Coinniaudant  Soniers  was  slanding  leaning 
against  the  ilagsialf  of  Xo.  1,  as  ilie  hmt  advanced  toiler  station.  lie  saw  a  shol  coming 
direeily  in  a  line  with  his  liead,  ami  stoopeil  to  a\<iid  it.  Tlu-  shot  cut  the  tlag  stall' in 
two,  and.  after  tlie  allhir,  Mr.  Sonier'i  siood  up  airainsf  the  .>-tunip,  w  hen  it  was  found  that, 
liad  lie  not  lieeu  so  <iuicli  in  his  laovements,  the  shol  would  liavi;  hit  his  e!>ii». 


out 


1804.] 


NAVAL  IIISTOIIY. 


247 


By  llie  John  Adams,  intelligence  reached  the  squadron  of  the 
re-estahlishnient  of  the  rank  of  masters  and  commanders,  and  the 
new  commissions  were  brought  out  to  the  officers  before  Tripoli,  who 
had  been  promoted.  In  consequence  of  these  changes,  Lieutenant 
Commandant  Decatur  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  captain,  and  became 
the  second  in  command  then  present ;  while  Lieutenants  Command- 
ant Stewart,  Hull,  Chauncey,  Smith,  and  Somers,  became  masters 
commandant,  in  the  order  in  which  they  are  named.  Several  of  the 
young  gentlemen  were  also  promoted,  including  most  of  those  who 
had  a  share  in  the  destruction  of  the  Philadelphia. 

The  bashaw  now  became  more  disposed  than  ever  to  treat,  the 
warfare  promising  much  annoyance,  with  no  corresponding  benefits. 
The  cannonading  did  his  batteries  and  vessels  great  injuries,  though 
the  town  probably  suffered  less  than  might  have  been  expected,  being 
in  a  measure  protected  by  its  walls.  The  shells,  too,  that  had  been 
procured  at  Messina,  turned  out  to  be  very  bad,  few  exploding  when 
they  fell.*  The  case  was  different  with  the  shot,  which  did  their 
work  effectually  on  the  different  batteries,.  Some  idea  may  be  formed 
of  the  spirit  of  the  last  attack,  from  the  report  of  Commodore  Preble, 
who  stated  that  nine  guns,  one  of  which  was  used  but  a  short  time, 
threw  500  heavy  shot,  in  the  course  of  little  more  than  two  hours. 

Although  the  delay  caused  by  the  expected  arrival  of  the  reinforce- 
ment, was  improved  to  open  a  negotiation, it  was  without  effect.  The 
bashaw  had  lowered  Iiis  demands  quite  half,  but  he  still  insisted  on  a 
ransom  of  $500  a  man  for  his  prisoners,  though  he  waived  the  usual 
claim  for  tribute,  in  future.  These  propositions  were  rejected,  it 
being  expected  that,  after  the  arrival  of  the  reinforcement,  tlie  treaty 
might  be  made  on  the  usual  terms  of  civilised  nations. 

On  the  9th  of  August,  the  Argus,  Captain  Hull,  had  a  narrow 
escape.  That  brig  having  stood  in  towards  the  town,  to  reconnoitre 
with  Connuodore  Preble  on  board,  one  of  the  heaviest  of  the  shot 
from  the  batteries,  raked  her  bottom,  for  some  distance,  and  cut  the 
plank  half  through.  An  inch  or  two  of  variation  in  the  direction 
of  this  shot,  would  infallibly  have  sunk  the  brig,  and  that  probably 
in  a  very  few  minutes. 

No  intelligence  arriving  from  the  expected  vessels,  Commodore 
Preble  about  the  IGth,  began  to  make  his  preparations  for  another 
attack,  sending  the  Enterprise,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Robinson, 
to  Malta,  with  orders  for  the  agent  to  forward  transports  with  water, 
the  vessels  being  on  a  short  allowance  of  that  great  essential.  On 
the  night  of  the  I7th,  Captains  Decatur  and  Chauncey  went  close 
in,  in  boats,  and  reconnoitered  the  situation  of  the  enemy.  These 
officers,  on  their  return,  reported  that  the  vessels  of  the  Tripolitan 
flotilla  were  moored  abreast  of  each  other,  in  a  line  extending  from 
.the  mole  to  the  castle,  with  their  heads  to  the  eastward,  which  was 

*  Arrnnlinq:  to  tlie  private  joarnal  of  Captain  Bainbridge,  then  a  prinonerin  the  town, 
out  of  forty-oight  Kholls  thrown  by  the  two  bombards  in  the  attack  of  the  7th,  but  one 
exploded,  Ai,'reoably  to  the  records  made  by  thia  officer  at  the  time,  the  bombs  on  no 
occ.'ision  did  much  injury,  and  the  town  generally  suffered  less  by  shot  even  tlian  was 
commonly  supposed. 


\l      i 


I :? 


i  \ 

I'f 


1  I- 


\i 


248 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


■■'>»  t 

4\ 


making  a  defence  directly  across  tlie  iniier  luubour  or  galloy-niole. 

A  gale,  however,  coinpcllod  the  Aniericaii  squadron  to  stand  oft' 
shore  on  the  morning  of  the  18th,  whicli  cansed  anotlier  delay  in  the 
contemplated  movements  While  lying  to,  in  the  offing,  tiie  vessels 
met  the  transports  from  Malta,  and  the  Enterprise  returned,  bringing 
no  intelligence  from  the  expected  reinforcement. 

On  the  24tli,  the  squadron  stood  in  towards  the  town  again,  with  a 
liglit  bree/e  from  the  eastward.  At  8  P.  M.,  the  Constitution  an- 
cliored  just  out  of  gun-shot  of  the  batteries,  but  it  fell  calm,  and  the 
boats  of  the  difierent  vessels  were  sent  to  tow  the  bombards  to  a  po- 
sitioij  tavourable  for  throwing  shells.  This  was  thought  to  have 
been  effected  by  2  A.  M.,  when  the  two  vessels  began  to  heave  their 
bombs,  covered  by  the  gun-boats.  At  daylight,  thi;y  all  retired, 
without  having  received  a  shot  in  return.  Commodore  Preble  ap- 
pears to  have  distrusted  the  result  of  this  bombardment,  the  first 
attemjjt  at  night,  and  there  is  reason  to  think  it  produced  but  little 
effect.* 

The  weather  provinjr  very  fine  and  the  wind  favourable,  on  the 
*28th.  Commodore  Preble  determined  to  make  a  more  vigorous  assault 
on  the  town  and  batteries,  than  any  which  had  preceded  it,  and  his 
dispositions  were  taken  accordingly.  The  gun-boats  and  b()nd)ards 
requiring  so  many  men  to  manage  them,  the  Constitution  and  the 
small  vessels  had  been  compelled  to  go  into  action  short  of  hands,  in 
the  previous  affairs.  To  obviate  this  difficulty,  the  John  Adams  had 
been  kept  before  the  town,  and  a  portion  of  her  officoi's  and  crew, 
and  nearly  all  her  boats,  were  put  in  requisition,  on  the  present 
occasion.  Captain  Chauncey,  himself,  with  about  70  of  his  people, 
went  on  board  the  flag-shij),  and  all  the  boats  of  the  squadron  were 
hoisted  out  and  manned.  The  bombards  were  crippled  and  could 
not  be  brought  into  service,  a  circumstance  that  probably  was  of  no 
great  coiiso(|uence,  on  account  of  the  badness  of  the  materials  they 
were  compelled  to  use.t  These  two  vessels,  with  the  Scourge, 
transjiorts,  and  John  Adams,  were  anchored  well  off  at  sea,  not  being 
available  in  the  contemplated  cannoimding. 

Every  thing  being  prepared,  a  little  after  midnight  the  following 
gun-boats  proceeded  to  their  stations,  vi/  :  No.  1,  Captain  Somers  ; 
No.  2,  Lieutenant  Gordon  ;  No.  3,  Mr.  Brooks,  master  of  the  Argus ; 
No.  4,  Captain  Decatur;  No.  5,  Lieutenant  Lawrence;  No.  6, 
Lieutenant  Wadsworth  ;  No.  7,  liieutenant  Crane ;  and  No.  9, 
Lieutenant  Thorn.  They  were  divid(!d  into  two  divisions,  as  before. 
Captain  Decatur  having  become  the  superior  officer,  however,  by  his 
recent  promotion.  About  3  A.  M.  the  gun-boats  advanced  close  to 
the  rocks  at  the  entrance  of  the  harI)our,  covered  by  the  Siren,  Cap- 
tain Stewart,  Aruus,  Captain  Hull,  Vixen,  Captain  Smith,  Nantihis, 
Lieutenant  Reed,  and  Entcrprij^e,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Kohin- 

'  (^!i|il;iiri  I'.iinbriilfro,  in  his  private  journal,  says  that  all  the  shells  thrown  on  this 
occasion  foil  short. 

t  It  !«  sliitod  thr.t  Commodoro  Prehh'  (?'ihsor|iipntIy  discovrrcd  lead  in  the  fiise-hoh-s 
of  :ii;uiy  ol'ilit'  Iidinlis.  It  w;w  siiiiposcd  ilial  ilii'*  li;i»!  ln.'on  doiiu  hy  lieaciicry,  hy  niiaiw 
cf  Ficiii  !i  aL'i'iils  ill  C'icilv,  ilic  .sinlls  h;n  in.:  hcca  cliai'm'd  to  resist  tiio  French  nivasion 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


249 


li:8 

lE'R 
IIU9 


son,  mid  ucconipnnicti  by  all  the  boats  of  the  squardon.  Here  they 
anchored,  with  sj)nngs  on  their  cables,  and  commenced  a  cannonade 
on  tlie  enemy's  shipping,  castle,  and  town.  As  soon  as  the  day 
dawned,  the  Constitution  weij»hed  and  stood  in  towards  the  rocks, 
under  a  lieavy  fire  from  the  batteries,  Fort  English,  and  the  castle. 
At  this  time,  liie  enemy's  giin-boats  and  galleys,  thirteen  in  number, 
were  closely  and  warmly  engaged  with  the  eight  American  boats ;  and 
the  Constitution,  ordering  the  latterto  retire  by  signal,  as  their  anunu- 
nition  was  mostly  consumed,  delivered  a  heavy  fire  of  round  and 
grape  on  the  former  as  she  came  up.  One  of  the  enemy's  boats  was 
soon  sunk,  two  were  run  ashore  to  prevent  them  from  meeting  a  sim- 
ilar fiite,  and  the  rest  retreated. 

The  Constitution  now  continued  to  stand  on,  until  she  had  run  in 
within  musket-shot  of  the  mole,  when  she  brought-to,  and  opened 
upon  the  town,  batteries,  and  castle.  Here  she  lay  three  (piarters  of 
an  hour,  pouring  in  a  fierce  fire,  with  great  effect,  iintil  finding  that 
all  tlie  small  vessels  were  out  of  gun-shot,  she  hauled  oflT.  About 
700  lieavy  shot  were  hove  at  the  enemy,  in  this  attack,  besides  a  irood 
many  from  the  chase-guns  of  the  small  vessels.  The  enemy  sus- 
tained much  damage,  and  lost  many  men.  The  American  brigs  and 
schooners  were  a  good  deal  injured  aloft,  as  was  the  Constitution. 
Although  the  latter  ship  was  so  long  within  reach  of  grape,  many  of 
whicli  shot  struck  her,  she  had  not  a  man  hurt !  Several  of  her 
shrouds,  back-stays,  trusses,  spring-stays,  chains,  lifts,  and  a  great 
deal  of  running  rigging  were  shot  away,  and  yet  her  hull  escaped 
with  very  trifling  injuries.  A  boat  belonging  to  the  John  Adams, 
under  the  orders  of  Mr.  John  Orde  Creighton,  one  of  that  ship's 
master's  mates,  was  sunk  by  a  double-headed  shot,  which  killed  three 
men,  and  badly  wounded  a  fourth,  but  the  officer  and  the  rest  of  the 
boat's  crew  were  saved. 

Ill  this  attack  a  heavy  shot  from  the  American  gun-boats  struck 
the  castle,  passed  through  a  wall,  and  rebounding  from  the  opposite 
side  of  the  room,  fell  within  six  inches  of  Captain  Bainbridge,  who 
was  in  bed  at  the  moment,  and  covered  him  with  stones  and  mortar, 
from  under  which  he  was  taken,  considerably  hurt,  by  his  own  offi- 
cers. More  injury  was  done  to  the  town  in  this  attack,  than  in  either 
of  the  others,  tlie  shot  appearing  to  have  told  on  many  of  tli'-  <iouses. 

From  this  time  to  the  closf^  of  the  month,  preparations  were  mak- 
ing to  use  the  bombards  again,  and  for  renewing  the  cannonading, 
another  transport  having  arrived  from  Malta,  without  bringing  any 
intelligence  of  the  vessels  under  the  orders  of  Commodore  Barron. 
On  the  3d  of  September,  every  thinj/;  '  Ing  ready,  at  half  past  two 
the  signal  was  made  for  the  small  vessels  to  advance,  The  enemy 
had  improved  the  time  as  well  as  the  Americans,  and  tlicy  had  raised 
three  of  their  own  gun-boats  that  had  been  sunk  in  the  affairs  of  the 
3d  and  of  the  28th  of  August.  These  craft  were  now  added  to  the 
rest  of  their  flotilla. 

The  Tripolitans  had  also  changed  theix"  mode  of  fighting.  Hith- 
erto, m\\\\  the  exception  of  the  aftair  of  the  3d,  their  galleys  and  gun- 
Uoiits  had  lain  either  behind  the  rocks,  in  positions  to  fire  over  them, 


1  :•': 


:l    ; 


>  1 

1    « 


1  '^. 

I  % 

'  'I 

i  u 


m 


1^50 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


*5ie'^ 


oral  the  openings  between  them,  (uid  they  consequently  found  them- 
selves to  leeward  of  tlie  frigate  mid  small  American  cruisers,  the 
latter  invariably  choosing  easterly  winds  to  advance  with,  as  they 
would  permit  crippled  vessels  to  retire.  On  the  3d  of  August,  the 
case  excepted,  the  Turks  had  been  so  roughly  treated  by  being 
brought  hand  to  han<l,  when  thuy  evidently  expected  nothing  mo'-e 
than  a  cannonade,  that  they  were  not  disposed  to  venture  again  out- 
side of  the  harbour.  On  the  3d  «/f  September,  however,  tin  day  at 
which  we  have  now  arrive-',  their  plan  of  defence  was  jud;i  iosii-ly 
altered.  No  sooner  was  iv  perceived  that  the  American  sqinulron 
was  in  motion,  with  a  fresh  design  to  annoy  them,  tUan  thru  gun- 
boats nnd  galleys  got  underway,  and  worked  up  to  windward,  until 
they  l«ad  gained  a  station  on  the  weather  sideof  t!ie  harb(»nr,  dncctly 
undi  r  tii(3  fire  of  Fort  English,  as  wei!  as  of  a  new  battery  that  had 
beco  erected  a  little  to  the  westward  of  the  latter. 

Tliis  disposition  of  the  enemy's  forco,  requin d  a  corresjKmding 
changv  on  the  pan  of  the  A:nericuns.  The  bombard^'  were  directed 
to  tai'.e  Biations  ;i!id  tt- coiMinencc  throwing  their  shrlb,  wliiie  the 
gun-boats,  in  two  livjaions,  commanded  as  usual  by  Cnptains  Dom- 
tur  and  Somers,  di;A  oo  i  red  by  iiie  brigs  and  schooners,  assailed 
the  enemy'-'  Hotilla.  Ti?i!?  .uTangeuient  separated  the  battle  into  two 
distinct  purts,  Jeavinjf  :l  e  bomb  vessels  very  much  exposed  to  the 
fire  of  ihc  enslh-.tlu;  mole,  cro\vii,  and  other  batteries. 

Tiie  Tripoiilan  gun-boats  and  galleys  stood  the  fire  of  the  Ameri- 
can flotilla  un'iil  the  latter  had  got  within  reach  of  musketry,  when 
they  retront.rd.  The  assailants  now  separated,  some  of  the  gun- 
boats following  the  er.emy,  and  pouring  in  their  fire,  while  the  others, 
wiih  the  brig   and  schooners,  cannonaded  Fort  English. 

In  the  mean  while,  perceiving  that  the  bombards  were  snflering 
j^everely  from  the  uknlisturbed  (ire  of  the  guns  to  which  they  were 
e\|H-sed,  Commodore  Preble  riui  dtiwn  in  the  Constitution,  quite 
nciu  the  rocks,  and  witliin  the  bomb  vessels,  and  hrought-to.  Here 
the  frigate  open(.'d  as  v/arm  a  fire  as  probably  ever  came  out  of  the 
hroadsiile  of  a  single-di'cked  ship,  and  in  a  position  where  seventy 
heavy  uuns  could  bear  ujjon  her.  The  whole  harbour,  in  the  vicinity 
of  die  town,  was  glittering  with  the  spray  of  her  shot,  and  each 
battery,  as  usual,  was  siienced  as  soon  as  it  drew  her  atteiition.  Af- 
ter throwing  more  than  tin'oe  hnndr.'d  round  shot,  besides  grape  and 
canmster,  tin;  frigate  hauhid  off,  having  previously  ordered  the  other 
vciisels  to  retire  from  action,  by  signal. 

The  gunboats,  in  this  aHair,  were  an  hour  and  fift«>en  minutes 
o'lgaged,  in  which  time  they  threw  four  hundred  round  shot,  besides 
grape  and  cannister.  Lieutenant  Trippe,  who  had  so  mneh  distin- 
guisiied  liiins(>lf,  and  who  had  recei\ed  so  many  woun*  >  t'uit  day 
month,  resumed  the  conunand  of  No.  6,  for  this  occasion  J-ienten- 
ant  Morris,  of  the  Ar'/'is,  was  in  charge  of  No.  3. 
vessels  snfien'd, as  usu:  ^lol't,  and  the  Argus  susta'.."! 
in  her  liall. 

Tlie  (-onstilntion  was  so  mneh  exjiosed  in  the  uv.  <"' 
that  her  esca])e  can  only  be  attributed  to  the  welg',>    > 


all 


e  sm 
iie  damage 


just  related, 
,'ier  ov»-n  fire. 


V.itetl, 
II  fire. 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


251 


It  had  been  found,  in  the  previous  afFuirs,  that  so  long  as  this  ship 
could  play  upon  a  battery,  the  Turks  could  not  be  kept  at  its  jruiis  ; 
and  it  was  chiefly  while  she  was  veering,  or  tacking,  that  she  suft'ered. 
But,  after  making  every  allowance  for  the  effect  of  her  own  cannon- 
ade, and  for  the  imperfect  gunnery  of  the  enemy,  it  creates  wonder 
that  a  single  frigate  could  lie  opposed  to  more  than  double  her  own 
number  of  available  guns,  and  these  too,  principally,  of  heavier  metal, 
while  they  were  protected  by  stone  walls.  On  this  occasion,  the 
frigate  was  not  supported  by  the  gun-boats  at  all,  and  she  became 
the  sole  object  of  tlie  enemy's  aim  after  the  bombards  had  witlulrawn. 

As  might  have  been  expected,  the  Constitution  suffered  more  in 
the  uttack  just  recorded,  than  in  any  of  the  previous  affairs,  though 
she  received  notliing  larger  than  grape  in  her  hull.  She  had  three 
shells  through  her  canvass,  one  of  which  rendered  the  main-top-sail 
momentarily  useless.  Her  sails,  standing  and  running  rigging  were 
also  much  cut  vvith  shot.  Captain  Chauiicey,  of  the  .Tohn  Adams, 
and  a  party  of  his  officers  and  crew,  served  in  the  Constitution  ayain 
on  this  day,  and  were  of  essential  use.  Indeed,  in  all  the  service 
which  succeeded  her  arrival,  the  commander,  officers,  and  crew  of 
the  John  Adams  were  actively  employed,  though  the  ship  herself 
could  not  be  brought  before  the  enemy,  for  the  want  of  gun-carriages. 

The  bombards,  having  been  much  exposed,  suffered  accordingly. 
No.  1,  was  so  much  crippled,  as  to  be  unable  to  move,  without  being 
towed,  and  was  near  sinking  when  she  was  got  to  the  anchorage. 
Every  shroud  she  had  was  shot  away.  Commodore  Preble  exjjressed 
himself  satisfied  with  the  good  conduct  of  every  man  in  the  s(niadron. 
All  the  vessels  appear  to  have  been  well  conducted,  and  efficient  in 
their  several  stations.  Of  the  effect  of  the  shells,  there  is  no  account 
to  be  relied  on,  though  it  is  probable  that,  as  usual,  many  did  not  ex- 
plode. There  is  no  doubt,  however,  that  the  bombs  were  well 
directed,  and  that  they  /ell  into  the  town. 

While  Commodore  Preble  was  thus  actively  employed  in  carrying 
on  the  war  against  the  enemy,  the  attack  just  related  having  been 
the  fifth  made  on  the  town  within  a  month,  he  was  meditating  another 
species  of  annoyance,  that  about  this  time  was  nearly  ready  to  be 
put  in  execution. 


'  f 


ir 


'  I- 


252 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 


■  3 

*      ii 

■  'I 

. , } 
t 


Now  spnricR  of  annoyance  to  tho  cnomy — Tho  "  Infernal" — Equipment  of  tlio  Uetch 
Intrepid— slic  is  sent  intotlic  liarbourof  Tri[)oli — she  blows  iiji  with  all  h(;rcrevv — Prob- 
able Ciiusesor  tbo  disaster— Private  journal  of  Capt.  IJainbridgc — The  President,  Com. 
Barron,  rejoins  tlie  Btiaadron — The  eonnnand  is  transferred  to  Com.  B. — Capture 
of  two  sail  loaded  witli  wlieat — Com.  Preble  returns  to  the  United  States — Capt. 
Riehard  Homers — sketch  of  hia  life. 

The  ketch  Iiitrepifl,  that  huil  1/ccn  employed  by  Mr.  Decatur  in 
burniiiir  the  Phihidclplua,  was  still  in  the  squadron,  having  been 
used  of  late  ns  a  transport  between  Tripoli  and  Malta.  This  vessel 
had  been  converted  into  an  "  infernal,"  or,  to  use  more  intellijrible 
terms,  she  had  been  fitted  as  a  floating  mine,  with  the  intention  of 
sending  ju-r  into  the  harbour  of  Tripoli,  to  explode  among  the  ene- 
my's cruisers.  As  every  thing  connected  with  the  history  of  this 
little  vessel,  as  well  as  with  the  enterprise  in  which  she  was  now  to  be 
employed,  will  have  interest  with  the  public,  we  shall  be  more  partic- 
ular than  common  in  giving  the  details  of  this  affair,  as  they  have 
»  reached  us  through  public  documents,  and  oral  testimony  that  is 
deemed  worthy  of  entire  credit. 

A  small  room  or  magazine  had  been  jilanked  up  in  the  hold  of 
the  ketch,  just  forward  of  her  principal  mast.  Communicating  with 
this  magazine  was  a  trunk  or  tube,  that  led  aft,  to  another  room 
fdled  with  combustibles.  Ifi  tho  planked  roonn,  or  magazine,  were 
placed  one  hundred  barrels  of  gunpowder  in  bulk,  and  on  the  deck 
immediately  above  the  powder,  were  hiid  fifty  thirteen  and  a  half 
inch  shells,  and  one  hundred  nine  inch  shells,  with  a  large  quantity 
of  shot,  pieces  of  kentledge,  and  fragments  of  iron  of  different  sorts. 
A  train  was  laid  in  the  tniidi,  or  tube,  and  fuses  were  attached  in 
the  proper  manner.  In  addition  to  this  arrangement,  the  other  small 
room  mentioned  was  filled  with  splinters  and  light  wood,  which, 
besides  firing  tho  train,  were  to  keej)  the  enemy  from  boardi,  g,  as 
the  flames  would  be  apt  to  induce  then  to  apprehend  an  immediate 
explosion. 

The  plan  was  well  laid.  It  was  the  intention  to  profit  by  the  first 
dark  iiiglit  that  offered,  to  carry  the  ketch  as  far  as  possible  into  the 
galley-mole,  to  light  tho  fire  in  the  splinter-room,  and  for  the  men 
employed,  to  make  their  retreat  in  boats. 

The  Mrruiigetiienls  for  carrying  this  projert  into  effect  appear  to 
have  been  made  with  care  and  prudence,  .^ijll  the  duty,  on  every 
account,  was  deemed  desperate.  It  was  necessary,  in  the  first  place, 
to  stand  in  by  the  western  or  little  passage,  in  a  dull-sailing  vessel, 
and  with  ii  light  wind,  directly  in  the  face  of  several  batteries,  the  fire 
of  which  could  otdy  hv  escaped  by  the  enemy's  mistakin<r  the  ketch 
for  a  vessel  endeavouring  to  force  the  blockade.  It  wou'd  also  be 
required  to  pass  quite  ne  r  these  batteries,  and,  as  the  k<'t'M  ad- 
vanced, she  would  be  rnnfiiiig  in  among  the  gun-bofits  and  .  •  ys 
of  the  (.'nciny.     It  is  not  necessary  to  point  out  the  liaztirds  of  >i!   '!  ua 


mit  the 
latter 
Tripoi 
der.* 
before 
be  tak( 
that  pi 
oars, 
teers  fd 
Israel,, 
rejectej 
tion  of| 
Wh(j 
just  ml 
and  Nil 
I>y  a  s{[ 
W'esterJ 
'■emainr 
Thef 
close  ill 

"A  dai 
fire  in  tl/d 
other  offil 
Jliiit  he  til 
my  to  af)| 
•ire  at  all! 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


253 


r  to 

cry 

ICC, 

fire 

tch 

be 

iid- 

■  '■"S 
•  Ull 


exploit,  ns  a  simple  cannonade  directed  against  a  small  vessel  filled 
with  powder,  would  of  itself  be,  in  the  la^t  degree,  dangerous.  After 
every  thing  had  succeeded  to  the  perfect  hopes  of  the  assailants,  there 
existed  the  necessity  of  effecting  a  retreat,  the  service  being  one  in 
which  no  quarter  could  be  expected. 

Such  a  duty  could  be  confided  to  none  but  officers  and  men  of 
known  coolness  and  courage,  of  perfect  self-possession,  and  of  tried 
spirit.  Captain  Somers,  who  had  commanded  one  division  of  the 
gun-boats  in  the  different  attacks  on  the  town  that  have  been  related, 
ill  a  manner  to  excite  the  respect  of  all  who  witnessed  his  conduct, 
volunteered  to  take  charge  of  this  enterprise,  and  Lieutenant  Wiuls- 
worth,  of  the  Constitution,  an  officer  of  great  merit,  offered  himself 
as  the  second  in  command.  It  being  unnecessary  to  send  in  any  more 
than  these  two  gentlemen,  with  the  few  men  needed  to  manage  the 
ketch  and  row  the  boats,  no  other  officer  was  permitted  to  go,  tliough 
it  is  understood  that  several  volunteered. 

The  night  of  the  4th  September,  or  that  of  the  day  which  suc- 
ceeded the  attack  last  related,  promising  to  be  obscure,  and  there 
being  a  good  leading  wind  from  the  eastward,  it  was  selected  for  the 
purpose.  Commodore  Preble  appears  to  have  viewed  the  result  of 
this  expedition  with  great  anxiety,  and  to  have  ordered  all  its  prepar- 
ations, with  the  utmost  personal  attention  to  the  details.  This 
feeling  is  believed  to  have  been  increased  by  his  knowledge  of  the 
character  of  the  officers  who  were  to  go  in,  and  who,  it  was  under- 
stood, had  expressed  a  determination  neither  to  be  taken,  nor  to  per- 
mit the  ammunition  in  the  ketch  to  fall  into  the  enemy' j  hands.  The 
latter  point  was  one  of  great  importance,  it  bei  v^»  understood  that  the 
Tripolitans,  like  the  Americans,  were  gcttin;-  to  be  in  want  of  pow- 
der.* In  sliort,  it  was  the  general  understanding  in  the  squadron, 
before  the  ketch  proceeded,  that  her  officers  had  determined  not  to 
be  taken.  Two  fast-rowing  boats,  one  belonging  to  the  Constitution, 
that  pulled  six  oars,  and  one  belonging  to  thn  Siren,  that  pulled  four 
oars,  were  chosen  to  bring  the  party  off,  and  their  crews  were  volun- 
teers from  the  Constitution  and  Nautilus.  At  the  lo  t  moment,  Mr. 
Israel,  an  ardent  young  officer,  whose  application  to  go  in  had  been 
rejected,  found  means  to  get  on  board  the  ketch,  and,  in  considera- 
tion of  his  gallantry,  he  was  permitted  to  join  the  party. 

When  all  was  ready,  or  about  8  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  the  day 
just  mentioned,  the  Intrepid  was  underway,  with  the  Argus,  Vixen, 
and  Nautilus  in  company.  Shortly  after,  the  Siren  also  weiglied, 
by  a  special  order  from  the  commodore,  and  stood  in  towards  the 
western  passage,  or  that  by  which  the  ketch  was  to  enter,  where  she 
remaine  '.  to  look  out  for  the  boats. 

The  Nautilus,  Captain  Somers  own  vessel,  accompanied  the  ketch 
close  in,  but,  op  reaching  a  positi' n  where  there  was  danger  of  her 

*A  day  or  two  l  'foro  tliR  ketch  was  ready,  'he  commodore  himscll  wustryin:?  a  port- 
fiie  in  tlie  cabi.joi  i'  ^  C  ii  .itution,  in  the  pre^nce  of  Captain  Somers,  and  of  one  ortwo 
other  officers,  and  hading  tiiiit  one  burned  a  particular  time,  by  the  watch,  he  remarked 
that  he  thought"  it  barned  longer  than  was  necepsary,  us  the  tune  miy^ht  enable  tlu;  ene- 
my lo  at)proach  and  extinguish  it  before  the  train  would  be  fired."  "  I  ask  for  no  port- 
lire  atall,"  was  the  (luiet  answer  of  Captain  Sc'mer'j. 


1       '-, 


I   ■ 


254 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


creating  suspicions  hy  being  seen,  Hlie  liniilcd  ofT,  to  take  licr  Htatioii, 
like  tlic  other  small  vessels,  near  the  rocks,  in  order  to  pick  up  the 
retreating  boats.  The  last  person  of  the  scpiadron  who  had  any  com- 
munication with  Captain  Somers,  was  Mr.  Washington  Uecd,  the 
first  lieutenant  of  iiis  own  scliooner,  the  Nautilus,  who  left  him  about 


9  o'clock.     At  that  time  all 


r.:>rn,   collected,  and  in  order  on 


board  the  "  infernal."  Tlio  ;,'enr>(u  uneasiness  was  increased  by  the 
circumstance  that  three  giin-i)oats  lay  near  the  entrance  ;  and  some 
of  the  last  words  of  the  experienced  Decatur,  before  taking  leave  of 
his  friend,  were  to  caution  him  against  these  enemies. 

The  sea  was  covered  with  a  dense  ha/e,  though  the  stars  were  visi- 
ble, and  the  last  that  may  be  said  to  have  been  seen  of  the  Intrepid, 
was  the  shadowy  forms  of  her  canvass,  u^  ^...  .  i.ered  slowly,  but 
steadily,  info  the  obscurity,  where  the  eyes  of  the  many  anxious 
spectators  fancied  they  could  still  trace  her  dim  outline,  most  prob- 
ably after  d  liad  totally  disappeared.  This  sinking  into  the  gloom 
of  night,  wi*s  no  bad  image  of  the  impenetrable  mystery  that  has 
veiled  the  subsequent  proceedings  of  the  gallant  party  on  board  her. 

When  the  Intrepid  was  last  seen  by  the  naked  eye,  she  was  not 
a  niusket-shot  from  the  mole,  standing  directly  for  the  harbour.  One 
officer  on  board  the  nearest  vessel,  the  Nautilus,  is  said,  however,  to 
have  never  lost  sii[ht  of  her  with  a  night-glass,  but  even  he  could 
distinguish  no  more  than  her  dim  proportions.  There  is  a  vague 
rumour  that  she  touched  on  the  rocks,  but  it  does  not  appear  to  rest 
on  sufficient  authority  to  be  entitled  to  absolute  credit.  To  the  last 
moment,  she  appears  to  have  been  advancing.  About  this  tinje  liie 
baiteric-s  began  to  lire.  Their  shot  arc  said  to  have  been  directed 
towards  every  point  where  an  enemy  might  be  expected,  and  it  is  not 
improbable  that  some  were  aimed  against  the  ketch. 

The  jjeriod  between  the  time  when  the  Intrepid  was  last  seen,  and 
that  Avhen  most  of  those  who  watched  without  the  rocks  learned  her 
fate,  was  not  long.  This  was  an  interval  of  intense,  almost  of  breath- 
less expectation,  and  it  was  interrupted  only  by  the  flashes  and  roar 
of  the  enemy's  guns.  Various  leports  r\ist  of  what  those  who  gazed 
into  the  gloom  beheld,  or  fancied  they  beheld  ;  but  one  melancholy 
fact  alone  would  seem  to  be  beyond  contradiction.  A  fierce  and 
sudden  light  illuminated  the  panorama,  a  torrent  of  fire  streamed  up- 
ward, and  a  concussion  followed  that  made  the  cruisers  in  the  offing 
tremble  from  their  trucks  to  their  keels.  This  sudden  bla/e  of  li«  ht 
was  followed  by  a  darkness  of  twofi)ld  intensity,  and  the  guns  of  the 
batteries  became  mute,  as  if  annihiln*  d.  Numerous  shells  were  seen 
in  the  air,  and  some  of  them  de^•:  Jed  on  the  rocks,  where  they 
were  heard  to  fall.  The  fuses  were  bun  ing,  and  a  few  exploded, 
b'*^  much  the  greater  part  were  extinguished  in  the  water.  The 
mast,  too,  had  risen  perpendicularly,  with  its  rigging  and  canvass 
blu/ing,  but  the  descent  veiled  all  in  night. 

So  sudden  and  tremendous  was  the  eruption,  and  so  intense  the 
darkness  which  succeedfd,  that  it  was  not  possible  to  ascertain  the 
precise  position  of  the  ketch  at  the  moment.  In  the  glaring,  but 
fleeting  light,  no  person  could  say  that  he  had  noted  more  than  the 


t;in 


tlie 

obt;i 
ft 

side 
a»  flic 
sioii 
quartc 
reach, 
were 
shore, 
and,  fl 
were 
the  oft 
were  t 
ward 
drifted 
The 
furnisli 
impenc 
proof 
eutter 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


255 


i/ed 
loly 
and 

up- 
rig 
ij^ht 

the 
soen 
they 
)ded, 

The 
nvass 

sethe 
n  the 
but 
in  the 


mntrritil  circuniMtruico,  that  the  Iiitrci  )iad  not  reached  the  point  nt 
whicli  Hho  iiimed.  The  shells  had  not  spread  far,  and  tJio.se  which 
fell  on  the  rocks  were  soniatiy  proofs  ot" this  important  trufli.  There 
was  no  other  fact  to  indicate  the  precise  spot  where  the  Uetcii  explod- 
ed. A  few  cries  arose  from  the  town,  hut  the  sahsffpicnt  and  d«'cp 
silence  that  followed  was  more  elocpient  than  any  clamour.  The 
whole  of  Tripoli  was  like  a  city  of  tond)H. 

If  every  eye  had  been  watchful  previously  to  the  explo!<ion,  evrry 
eye  now  became  doubly  vijjilant  to  discover  the  retreatinj;  boats.  . 
Men  ^ot  over  the  sides  of  the  vessels,  holdin<(  li<rhts,  and  plaeinji^ 
their  ears  near  the  water,  in  the  hope  of  detectin<r  the  sounds  of  even 
muffled  oars ;  and  oflen  was  it  fancied  that  the  <rallant  adventurers 
were  near.  They  never  re-appeared.  Hour  after  hour  went  by, 
until  hope  itself  became  exhausted.  Occasiomilly,  a  rocket  j^leamed 
in  the  darkness,  or  a  sullen  gun  was  heard  from  the  frij^ate,  as  si^^nals 
to  the  boats  ;  but  the  eyes  that  should  have  seen  the  first,  were  sight- 
less, and  the  last  tolled  on  the  ears  of  the  dead. 

The  three  vessels  assigned  to  that  service  hovered  around  the  har- 
bour until  the  sun  rose,  but  few  traces  of  the  Intrepid,  and  nothing 
of  her  devoted  crew  could  be  discovered.  The  wreck  of  the  mast 
lay  on  the  rocks  near  the  western  entrance,  and  here  and  there  a 
fragment  was  visible  nigh  it.  One  of  the  largest  of  the  JMiemy's  gun- 
boats was  missing,  and  it  was  observed  that  two  others,  which  aj)- 
pearod  to  be  shattered,  were  being  hauled  ti|)on  the  shore.  The 
three  that  had  lain  across  the  entrance  had  disappeared.  It  was 
•rroneously  thought  that  the  castle  had  sustained  some  injury  from 
the  concussion,  though,  on  the  whole,  the  Americans  were  left  with 
t"  e  melancholy  certainty  of  having  met  with  a  serious  loss,  without 
obtaining  a  commensurate  advantage. 

It  i."  now  known  tiiat  the  bottom  of  the  ketch  grounded  on  the  north 
side  of  the  rocks,  near  the  round  battery  at  the  end  ofthe  mole,  and 
as  the  wind  nas  at  the  eastward,  this  renders  it  certain  that  the  explo- 
sion took  place  in  the  western  entrance  to  the  harbour,  and  fidly  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  from  the  spot  that  it  was  intended  the  ketch  should 
reach.  In  the  wreck  were  fijund  two  mangled  bodies,  and  four  more 
were  picked  up  on  the  6th,  floating  in  the  harbour,  or  lodged  on  the 
shore.  These  bodies  were  in  the  most  shocking  state  of  miitiJation, 
and,  though  Captain  Bainbridge  and  one  or  two  of  his  conjpouiwns 
were  taken  to  sec  them,  it  was  found  impossible  to  distinguish  even 
the  officers  from  the  men.  It  is  understood  that  six  more  bodies 
were  found,  the  day  after  the  explosion,  on  the  shore  to  the  south- 
ward of  the  town,  and  that  a  six-oared  boat,  with  one  body  in  it,  had 
drifted  on  the  beach  to  the  westward.* 

These  statements  account  for  all  those  who  went  in  the  ketch,  and 
furnish  conjectural  clues  to  facts  that  would  otherwise  be  veiled  in 
impenetrable  mystery.  The  spot  where  the  boat  was  found,  was  a 
proof  that  the  ketch  had  not  got  very  far  into  the  passage,  or  the 
cutter  could  not  have  drifted  clear  of  the  natural  mole  to  the  west- 

'Captain  Bainbridge's  private  journal. 


I      1 


25(3 


NAVAL  HISTORV. 


[1804. 


'I 


<:'! 


ward.  Tlu;  rcnHoii  that  tlio  bout  and  thu  ki!tch*8  Imttoiii  wiro 
found  iu;ar  the  natnu  Hpot,  wnn  prubat)ly  becuuMc  the  firHt  waH  uc 
uii  more  by  the  wind,  and  the  last  by  tlie  current;  and  the  fart  that  u 
bout  may  have  drifted  tlirough  rockw,  with  which  the  shore  m  every 
where  more  or  Ichs  lined,  that  would  have  broutrht  up  the  wreck. 

As  there  was  but  one  body  found  in  the  boat,  we  are  lell  to  sup- 
pose it  was  ijiat  of  the  keeper.  Of  the  four-oared  boat,  or  that  which 
belon^red  to  the  Siren,  there  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  tidings, 
and  it  was  either  destroyed  by  the  explosion,  sunk  by  the  fall  of 
fraijtnentH,  or  privately  a|)pi<)j)riated  to  himself  by  some  Tripolitan. 

From  the  fact  of  there  bein<(  but  a  single  man  in  the  Constitution's 
cutter,  there  is  reason  toi'derthut  most  of  the  officers  und  men  were 
on  board  the  ketch,  herself,  when  she  blew  up.  No  person  is  under- 
stood to  say  that  any  of  the  enemy's  vessels  were  seen  near  the  ketch, 
when  she  exploded,  and  with  these  meagre  premises,  we  are  l(.>ft  to 
draw  our  interenccs  as  to  the  causes  of  the  disaster. 

That  Captain  Somcrs  wa^  as  capable  of  sacrificing  himself,  wlien 
there  was  an  occasion  for  it,  as  any  uiun  who  ever  lived,  is  probably 
us  true  as  it  is  certain  that  he  would  not  destroy  himself,  und  much 
less  others,  without  snfHcient  reason.  It  has  been  supposed  that  the 
ketch  was  boarded  by  the  enemy,  und  that  her  resolute  commander 
fired  the  train  in  preference  to  being  taken.  The  spirit  created  by 
the  chivalrous  exploits  of  Decatur,  and  the  high-toned  discipline  and 
daring  of  Preble,  hud  communicated  to  all  under  their  orders,  us  loftv 
sentiments  of  duty  and  zeal  as  probably  were  ever  found  among  an 
equal  body  of  generous  ujid  ardent  young  men  ;  but  it  is  not  easy  to 
discover  a  motive  why  the  explosion  should  have  been  an  intentional 
act  of  the  Americans,  and  it  is  easy  to  discover  many  why  it  should 
not. 

There  would  be  but  one  sufficient  justification  for  an  officer's  sac- 
rificing himself  or  his  people  under  such  circumstances,  and  that  was 
the  impossibility  of  preventing  the  ketch  from  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  enemy,  by  any  other  means.  Neither  the  evidence  of  eye- 
witnesses, so  far  us  it  is  availuble,  nor  the  accounts  of  the  Tripolitans 
themselves,  would  appear  to  show,  that  when  the  Intrepid  exploded, 
any  enemy  was  near  enough  to  render  so  desperate  a  step  necessary. 
According  to  the  private  journal  of  Captain  Bainbridgc,  neither  the 
town  nor  the  Turks  suffijred  materially,  and  he  was  carried  to  the 
beach  to  see  the  dead  bodies,  on  the  8th,  or  two  days  after  the  affair. 
This  alone  would  prove  that  the  ketch  did  not  reach  the  mole.  If 
the  object  were  merely  to  destroy  the  powder,  the  men  would  have 
been  previously  ordered  into  the  boats,  and,  even  under  circum- 
stances that  rendered  a  resort  to  the  fuse  inexpedient,  the  train  would 
have  been  useu.  That  only  one  man  was  in  the  largest  boat,  is 
known  from  the  condition  in  which  she  was  found,  and  this  could 
hardly  have  happened,  under  any  circumstances,  had  the  magazine 
been  fired  intentionally,  by  means  of  the  train.  Every  contingency 
had,  doubtless,  been  foreseen.  One  man  was  as  able  as  twenty  to 
apply  the  match,  and  we  can  see  but  one  state  of  things,  besides  be- 
ing boarded  by  surprise,  that  would  render  it  likely  timt  the  match 


III. 

11*8 

I!  re 
er- 
ch, 
L  to 


llCII 

ihly 
uch 

the 
ulcr 
iby 

niul 
lofty 
a  ail 
sy  to 
ioiiul 
lould 

jsac- 

t  was 

luiuls 
eye- 

litans 

odcd, 

!>!iury. 
r  tlie 

Id  the 

aftuir. 
If 
liave 
rcutn- 
wouhl 
oat,  is 
could 
irazine 
igency 
enty  to 
les  be- 
match 


-^■5 
j:<> 


1804. 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


257 


<    I 
I 

t 


would  have  been  used  until  the  people  were  in  their  boats,  or  that  it 
would  have  been  applied  at  any  other  spot,  than  at  the  end  of  a  train, 
or  aft.  A  surprise  of  the  nature  mentioned,  would  seem  to  have 
been  impossible,  for,  though  the  night  was  misty,  objects  might  still 
be  seen  at  some  little  distance,  and  it  is  probable,  also,  that  the  party 
had  glasses. 

From  weighing  these  circumstances,  it  is  the  most  rational  opinion 
that  the  Intrepid  was  not  intentionally  blown  u[).  She  was  under 
fire  at  the  time,  and  though  it  is  improbable  that  the  enemy  had  any 
shot  heated  to  repel  an  attack  so  unexpected,  a  cold  shot  might  easily 
have  fired  a  magazine  in  the  situation  of  that  of  the  Intrepid.  The 
deck  of  the  ketch  moreover,  was  covered  with  loaded  shells,  and  one 
of  these  mijjht  have  been  struck  and  broken.  Some  other  unforeseen 
accident  may  have  occurred.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is  necessary  to 
state,  that  Commodore  Preble  firmly  beheved  that  his  officers  blew 
themselves  up,  in  preference  to  being  made  prisoners  ;  an  opinion  in 
which  it  would  not  be  difficult  to  coincide,  were  there  proof  that  they 
were  in  any  immediate  danger  of  such  a  calamity.  It  was  also  the 
general  conjecture  in  the  squadron  then  before  Tripoli,  that  such  had 
been  the  fate  of  these  bold  adventurers,  but  it  would  seem  to  have 
been  formed  at  the  time,  rather  on  an  opinion  of  what  the  party  that 
went  in  was  capable  of  doing,  than  on  any  evidence  of  what  it  had 
actually  done. 

As  it  is  the  province  of  the  historian  to  present  all  the  leading  facts 
of  his  subject,  we  shall  add,  on  the  other  hand,  that  many  little  col- 
lateral circumstances  appear  to  have  occurred,  which  may  be  thought 
to  give  force  to  the  truth  of  the  common  impression.  One  of  the 
best  authenticated  of  these,  is  connected  with  what  was  seen  from  i\ 
vessel  that  was  watching  the  ketch  though  it  was  not  the  schooner 
nearest  in.  On  board  this  vessel  a  light  was  observed  moving  on  a 
horizontal  line,  as  if  carried  swiftly  along  a  vessel's  deck  by  some 
one  in  hurried  motion,  and  then  to  di'op  suddenly,  like  a  lantern 
sinking  beneath  a  hatclnv'ay.  Immediately  afterwards  the  ketch  ex- 
ploded, and  at  that  precise  spot,  which  would  seem  to  leave  no  doubt 
ti'at  this  light  was  on  board  the  Intrepid.  But  even  this  by  no  means 
csLabJishes  the  fact  that  the  explosion  was  in'entional.  The  splin- 
ters, that  were  to  keep  the  enemy  aloof,  had  not  been  lighted,  and 
this  movement  with  the  lantern  may  have  been  intended  to  fire  them, 
and  may  have  had  some  accidental  connexion  with  the  explosion. 

In  addition  to  this  appearance  of  the  light,  which  rests  on  testi- 
mony every  way  entitled  to  respect,  there  was  a  report  brought  off 
by  the  prisoners,  then  in  Tripoli,  when  liberated,  from  which  another 
supposition  has  been  formed  as  to  the  fate  of  this  devoted  vessel,  that 
is  not  without  plausibility.  It  was  said  that  most  of  the  bodies  found 
had  received  gun-shot  wounds,  especially  from  grape.  One  body, 
in  particular,  was  described  as  having  had  the  small  remains  of  nan- 
keen pantaloons  on  it,  and  it  was  also  reported  that  the  hair*  was  of 
a  deep  black.     Through  Ju.s  person,  according  to  the  report,  no  less 

'  It  is  possit  lo  coi'taiiiiy  tliiil  this  mark  may  have  been  observed,  hut  it  is  moro  prob- 
ablo  that  the  huir  would  have  been  consumed.    Still  a  hat  may  have  saved  it. 
VOL.    I.  17 


it 


258 


NAVAL   HISTORY. 


[1S04. 


than  three  grape-shot  had  passed.  Tliis  lias  heen  suppose*!  lo  have 
been  the  body  of  Captain  Somers  liimseH",  Mho  was  the  only  onc^  of 
the  ])rrty  that  wore  nankeen,  and  whose  hair  was  of  u  deep  hiaek. 
On  tlie  supposition  that  the  proofs  of  the  j^rape-shot  wounds  aotually 
existed,  it  has  been  conjectured  that,  as  the  ketch  advanced,  she  was 
fired  into  with  grape,  most  of  her  people  shot  down,  mu]  that  the 
magazine  was  touched  off  by  the  two  whose  bodies  were  found  in  the 
wreck,  tuid  who  were  probably  below  when  the  Intrejiid  exploded. 

That  a  close  fire  was  opened  when  the  ketch  ni)peared,  is  b(>yond 
doubt,  and  that  she  was  quite  near  the  mole  and  crown  batteries  when 
the  explosion  occurred,  is  known,  not  only  by  means  of  the  glass, 
but  by  the  parts  of  the  wreck  that  fell  on  the  rocks.  Indeed,  the  situ- 
ation of  the  latter  would  give  reason  to  snj)p()se  there  might  be  some 
truth  in  the  rumour  that  sht;  had  grounded,  in  which  ease  her  destruc- 
tion by  means  of  shot  would  have  been  rendered  certain. 

The  prevalent  opinion  that  the  Intrepid  was  boarded  hy  one  or 
more  of  the  gun-boats  that  lay  near  the  entrance,  would  seem  to  have 
been  entertained  without  sufficient  proof.  These  vessels  lay  some 
distance  within  the  spot  where  the  ketch  blew  up,  and  it  was  not 
probable  that  they  would  have  advanced  to  meet  a  vess(>l  entering 
the  harbour  ;  for  did  they  suppose  her  a  friend,  there  would  have  been 
no  motive,  and  did  they  suppose  her  an  enemy,  they  would  have 
been  much  more  likely  to  avoid  her.  80  shy,  in<le(>(l,  Inul  the  Tri- 
politans  became,  after  the  burning  of  the  Philadelphia,  and  the 
boarding  of  their  boats,  that  it  was  found  extremelv  dilVuMdr  to  jjet 
their  small  vessels  within  the  range  of  musket-balls,  (^aptain  Soin- 
rrs  was  known  to  have  felt  no  apprehensions  of  being  boarded  by 
these  three  boats,  for,  when  cautioned  by  his  friend  Decatur  on  that 
head  his  answer  was,  "  they  will  be  more  likely  to  cut  and  rini."  In 
this  opinion  that  cool  -"id  observant  officer  was  probably  right.  Had 
there  been  any  vessel  near  the  Intrejiid  when  she  blew  up,  the  light 
of  the  e\j)losion  would  have  permitted  her  also  to  he  seen  ;  some 
portions  of  her  wreck  would  have  been  visible  next  day ;  and  her 
masts  and  sails  would  probably  have  been  flying  in  the  air,  as  well  ns 
those  of  the  ketch. 

liut  the  fact  that  oidy  thirtcf^n  bodies  are  s})oken  of  in  the  private 
journal  of  Captaiji  IJainbridge,  is  almost  conclusive  on  the  subject 
that  no  Tripolitan  vessel  was  l)lown  up  on  this  occasion.  This  entry 
was  made  at  the  time,  and  before  the  Jiature  of  the  expedition,  or  the 
nund)er  of  tnose  who  had  been  sent  i.i  the  ketch,  was  known  to  the 
Americans  iji  Tripoli.  The  thirteen  bodies  account  exactly  for  all 
on  board,  and  as  they  came  ashore  in  a  most  mutilated  stale,  with- 
out clothes,  in  some  instances  without  legs,  arms,  or  headr^,  it  was 
impossible  to  say  whether  they  were  the  mangled  r'>  nains  of  friends, 
or  enemies.  Had  a  Tripolitan  blown  up  in  company,  there  must 
have  been  many  more  bodies  in  the  same  stale,  inst(>ad  of  the  precise 
nuuiber  mentioned,  and  Captain  IJainbridge  wouM  have  iicen  as 
likely  to  be  taken  to  see  a  dead  Turk,  as  to  see  a  <lead  American. 

The  missing  gun-l)oat  of  which  Commodore  Preble  speaks  in  his 
report,  may  have  been  sunk  by  a  falling  shell ;   she  may   have  been 


*TI 
ed  tha 
icans 

no  (l;il 

fusion. 

the  be 

ditioii, 

of'tlio 

round 

From  i 

kiiowi 

comp.i 

ward, 

that  ai. 

tho  we 

Ontl 

be  vvol 

that  Iii« 

must  U', 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


259 


that 
Id 
Had 
light 
sonic 
I  her 
(11  as 

I  lVi\tC 

iihjcrt 
(Mitry 
or  the 
to  the 
lor  all 
,  with- 
it  was 
iriuls, 
must 
)recise 
ceil  as 

lean, 
ill  his 

l(>  luen 


shattered  and  hauled  into  the  galley-mole,  out  of  sight ;  or,  she  may 
have  removed  in  the  darkness,  and  heen  confounded  next  morning 
with  others  of  the  flotilla.  Observations  made,  by  means  of  glasses, 
in  a  crowded  port,  at  a  distance  of  two  or  three  miles,  are  liable  to 
many  errors.  In  short,  it  would  seem  to  be  the  better  opinion,  that, 
from  some  untoward  circumstance,  the  Intrepid  exploded  at  a  jjoini 
where  she  did  little  or  no  injury  to  the  enemy.* 

One  of  three  things  seems  to  be  highly  probable,  concerning  this 
long-disputed  point.  The  ketch  has  either  exploded  by  means  of  the 
enemy's  shot,  than  which,  nothing  was  easier  in  the  situation  where 
she  lay  ;  the  men  have  accidentally  fired  the  magazine,  while  pre- 
paring to  light  the  spliiitcr''  below,  or  it  has  been  done  intentionally, 
in  consequence  of  the  despe/ate  condition  to  which  the  party  was 
reduced,  by  the  destruction  caused  by  grape.  Of  tiie  three,  after 
weighing  all  the  circumstances,  it  is  natural  to  believe  that  the  first 
was  the  moxt  probable,  as  it  was  certainly  easier  to  cause  a  vessel 
like  the  Intrepid,  with  a  lumdrcd  barrels  of  loose  powder  in  her 
magazine,  to  explode  by  means  of  shot,  than  to  cause  a  vessel  like 
No.  8,  which  is  known  to  have  been  blown  up,  in  this  manner,  in  the 
action  of  the  7th  of  August.  As  regards  the  grape-shot  wounds^,  it 
will  be  seen  that  Captain  Bainbridge  is  silent. 

A  sad  and  fcoleniu  mystery,  after  all  our  conjccttirts,  must  forever 
veil  the  fate  of  these  fearless  officers  and  their  hardy  followers.  In 
whatever  light  we  view  the  aflair,  they  were  the  victims  of  that  setf- 
devotion  which  cause  the  seaman  and  soldier,  to  hold  his  litJ-  in 
his  hand,  when  the  honour  or  interest  of  his  country  demands  ffce 
sacrifice.  The  name  of  Somers  has  passed  into  a  battle-cry,  in  the 
American  marine,while  those  of  Wadsworth  and  Israel  are  associated 
with  all  that  can  ennoble  intrepidity,  coolness,  and  daring. 

The  war,  in  one  sense,  terminated  with  this  scene  of  sublime 
destruction.  Commodore  Preble  had  consumed  so  much  of  his 
powder,  in  the  previous  attacks,  that  it  was  no  longer  m  his  power 
to  cannonade;  and  the  season  was  fast  getting  to  be  dangerous  to 
I'cmain  on  that  exposed  coast.  The  guns,  mortars,  sliolls,  &c.,  weie 
taken  out  of  the  small  vessels,  on  account  of  the  appf.'aranee  of  the 
weather,  the  day  after  the  loss  of  the  Intrepid,  and  on  the  7th,  the 

*  The  entry  in  the  private  journal  of  Captain  Bainhridtre  is  as  followa ;  "  Was  inform- 
ed that  llie  explosion  that  we  heard  last  night  proceeded  from  a  veFsel  (whicli  the  Amer- 
icans attempted  to  send  into  the  harbour,)  hlowing  up;  which  unfortunate  scheme  did 
no  (ianiage  whatever  to  the  Tri[)olitans  ;  nor  did  it  even  appear  to  heave  them  into  con- 
fusion."    "On  the  8th,   liy  the  bashaw's  pennission.  with  lieutenant .went  to 

the  beach  of  the  harbour,  and  there  saw  six  persons  in  a  mcsl  mangled  aii(i  buriu  con- 
dition, lying  on  the  shore ;  v.hom  we  supposed  to  have  been  part  ef  the  unfortunate  crew 
of  the  fiie-vessel,  the  bottom  of  which  grounded  on  the  north  side  of  the  rocks  near  the 
round  battery.  Two  of  these  distressed-looking  objects  were  fished  out  of  the  wreck. 
From  the  whole  of  them  bti;ig  s<i  much  disfigured,  it  was  impossible  to  rccogni.se  any 

kniiwn  feature  to  us,  or  even  to  distinguish  an  officer  from  a  seaiiian.    ,  who  ac- 

compiiiiiod  us,  informed  me  that  he  saw  six  others  y  Mterday,  on  thf  shore  to  the  south- 
ward, which  were  supposed  to  have  come  from  the  same  vessel.  He  also  informed  me 
that  ai.  Aniericau  six-oared  boat,  .villi  one  man  in  her,  \sas  found  drifted  lui  the  bciich  to 
the  westward." 

On  tl  0  subject  of  Commodore  Preble's  impressions  of  the  fate  of  the  Intrepid,  it  may 
bo  well  to  say,  that  the  Constituilon  left  Tripoli  soon  after  the  ketch  was  blown  up,  and 
that  his  h-tter  was  d:!t(Ml  at  Malta,  September  I8th.  Owing  to  tliis  circumstance,  he 
must  necessarily  have  been  ignorant  of  fa('t8  that  were  t  ubaequently  ascertained. 


260 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


John  Aflnnip, Siren,  Nautilus,  Enterprise,  and  Scourge,  were  directed 
to  take  the  bombards  and  gun-boals  in  tow,  and  to  proceed  to  Syra- 
cuse; while  the  Constitution,  with  the  Argus  and  Vixen,  in  company, 
maintained  the  blockade.  It  is  not  known  that  another  shot  was 
fired  ai  Tripoli. 

Three  days  later,  on  the  10th  of  September,  1804,  tlie  President 
44,  wearing  the  broad  pennant  of  Commodore  Barron,  hove  in  sight, 
with  the  Constellation  38,  Captain  Campbell,  in  company,  when  the 
command  was  regularly  transferred  to  the  former  officer.  On  the 
12th,  two  sail  were  cut  off,  while  attempting  to  enter  Tripoli,  loaded 
with  wheat.  On  the  17th,  t'le  Constitution  reached  Malta,  with  the 
two  prizes;  find  snbsec^jentl} ,  Commodore  Preble  went  to  Syracuse 
in  the  Argus.  At  a  later  day,  ho  came  home  in  the  John  Adams, 
where  lie  arrived  on  the  2Ctli  of  February,  1805.  In  the  mean  time, 
Caj)t!iii>  Decatur  proceeded  to  Malta  and  took  command  of  the  Con- 
.-titution,  which  was  the  first  frigate  this  celebrated  officer  ever  had 
under  his  orders. 

The  country  fully  appreciated  the  services  of  Comi  lodore  Preble. 
He  had  united  caution  and  during  in  a  way  to  denote  the  highest 
military  qualities ;  and  his  success  in  general,  had  been  in  proportion. 
The  attack  of  tlic  Intrepid,  the  only  material  failure  in  any  of  his 
enterprises,  was  well  arranged,  and  had  it  succeeded,  it  would 
probably  have  produced  peace  in  twenty-four  hours.  As  it  was,  the 
bashaw  was  well  enough  disposed  to  treat,  though  he  seems  to  have 
entered  into  some  calculations  in  the  way  of  money,  that  induced  him 
to  ho|)c  the  Americans  would  still  reduce  their  policy  to  the  level  of 
his  own,  and  prefer  payinff  ransom,  to  maintaining  cruisers  so  far 
from  home.  Commodore  Preble,  and  all  the  officers  and  men  under 
his  orders,  received  the  thanks  of  Congress,  and  a  gold  medal  was 
liestowed  on  the  former.  By  the  same  resolution,  Congress  expressed 
the  sympathy  of  the  nation  in  behalf  of  the  relatives  of  Captain 
Ri(diard  Somers,*  Ijieutenants  Henry  Wadsworth,  James  Decatur, 
Jniiie«  R.  Caldwell,  and  Joseph  Israel,  and  Mr.  John  Sword  Dorscy, 
inidsliipman  ;  the  officers  killed  off  Tripoli. 

'  Very  littlo  is  known  of  Captain  Seniors  boyonil  his  professional  career.  He  was 
Uirii  ill  Capo  May  ooniity,  Now  Jovsoy,  and  was  tlio  son  of  Colonol  Soniors,  an  ofTicor 
of  the  Kovoliition.  Ho  wont  early  to  soa,  and  had  commanded  a  small  vchsoI,  even 
previously  to  the  formation  of  the  navy  in  1798.  His  first  cruise  was  in  the  (Jnitod 
.States,  uiiilor  Connnodore  Barry  ;  and  he  appears  early  to  have  attracted  attention  hy  his 
soamansliip,  zeal,  and  chivalry.  Decatur  was  his  messmate,  and  both  havina:  heon  at 
Hoa  previously  to  joininnr  the  navj-,  they  were  made  lieutenants  p..  the  same  time,  the 
•  onniiission  ofSomors  havincr  been  dated  ihc  2d,  and  that  of  ids  friend  on  the  lid  of  >Inne, 
17!>r>.  The  roiider  will  betti'r  understand  the  tie  which  united  the  yoting  commanders 
tliflt  served  under  Preble  before  Tripoli,  when  ho  finds  that  Stewart  was  tin;  tirst  lieu- 
tenant of  ihe  United  Slates  at  this  time,  Somers  iho  third,  and  Decatur  tla;  fourth.  After 
llio  French  war,  Mr.  Somers  8<:rved  in  the  Boston  2P,  Captain  M'Niell,  and  made  the 
ninpular  cruise  to  which  there  has  been  allusion  in  the  text.  He  was  the  ofllcor  ilrst 
appointed  to  command  the  Nautilus  when  she  was  launched,  and  continued  in  that 
hltition  until  the  tinii'  ofhisdtmlh. 

Captain  Somers  was  a  warmhearted  friend,  ami.iblc  and  mild  in  liis  ordinary  associa- 
tions, a  trained  seiunan,  and  a  pood  otlicor.  His  loss  was  re.'retted  by  all  who  know 
Liin,  and,  Ibr  u  time,  it  ca.st  a  gloom  over  the  little  service  of  which  he  was  socoiispicuoa.t 
uiid  favourite  a  member.  Tliere  exi.-ted  a  clos<!  intimacy  betvvei-n  Decatur  and  Somers, 
though  in  many  respects,  their  characters  were  unlikt;.  In  a  chivalroue  love  of  enter- 
prise, a  perfect  diirefranl  of  dant,'er,  and  in  devotion  to  the  himours  of  t'.ie  llai,',  however, 


i!( 


tliey  IiikJ 
tile  iicciil 
Wliilel 
ofliccrs, 
five  .-^iciil 
to  nil), 
whoii,i,l| 
■■•'■•izi'  llir 
^voiiiidcJ 
into  his  Ij 
iuto  tovvif 


1804.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


261 


CHAPTER  XXV. 


|He  wdB 

.  even 

Cnited 

|,nl)y  liif 

bci'u  at 

fimo,  the 

olMnne, 

|nvaiiflt:rs 

I'lrnt  lit'U- 

After 

Iliad  0  tW; 

liccv  iirst 

(1  in  that 

:  af  socia- 
Ihn  know 

lofi-ntcr- 
tiowcv(;r, 


Force  of  the  American  squadron  under  Com.  Barron — A  viq'ourous  blockade  kcptup— 
Movement  by  land — Hamet  Caramalli,  brotliorofthe  Bashaw,  unites  with  tho  Ameri- 
ciinK  under  General  Eaton — Attack  on  Derne — Its  submituRion — Tho  auihorily  of 
Caramalli  partially  acknowledged — General  Eaton  presses  Com.  Barron  for  rein- 
forcements to  march  on  Tripoli — ho  is  denied — The  decision  of  Com.  Barron  con- 
eidered — He  formally  transfers  the  command  to  Capt.  John  Kodgers — Tho  entire  force 
under  this  new  disposition — Peace  concluded  with  Tripoli  — Influence  of  the  war  on 
tlie  fortunes  and  character  of  the  navy. 

The  squadron  left  in  the  Mediterranean,  under  the  orders  of  Com- 
modore Barron,  after  the  departure  of  Commodore  Preble,  was  much 
the  strongest  force  that  the  country  had  then  assembled  in  tljat  sea. 
It  was,  indeed,  the  strongest  force  that  had  ever  been  collected  under 
the  orders  of  any  single  officer  beneath  the  American  flag;  and  small 
as  it  was,  in  efficiency  it  was  probably  more  than  equal  to  all  the 
active  vessels  employed  at  any  one  period  of  the  war  of  ihe  Revolu- 
*'  Keeping  this  fact  in  view,  we  look   back   with    surprise,  at 

might  then  be  deemed  the  greatest  etfort  of  a  country,  that 
^<osses.sed  1,000,000  tons  of  shipping  in  its  mercantile  marine,  and 
"'  'eh,  with  diminished  duties,  derived  an  income  of  $11,098,565, 
from  its  imports  alone.  The  force  in  question,  consisted  of  the 
following  vessels,  viz: 

Capt.  Cox ;  Com.  Barron. 

"      Decatur. 

"      Rodgers. 

"      Campbell. 

"      J.  Barron. 

"      Stewart. 

"      Hull. 

"      Smith. 
Lieut.  Com.  Robinson. 

"  "       Dent. 

Tiie  Scourge  14,  wont  home  about  this  time,  and  was  sold  ont  of 
service,  and  the  bombards  and  gun-  boats  borrowed  from  Naples,  as 
a  uiiitter  of  <  ours*',  were  rettuMied  to  tliat  government.  The  Ameri- 
cans, however,  retained  the  two  prizes  taken  from  the  Tripolitans. 
The  .lohn  xVdanis  "28,  Captain  Cliauncey,  also  returned  to  the  station 
shortly  after  landing  Commodore  Preble  in  New  York  ;  and  two 
vessels  werj  purchased,  one  at  Trieste,  and  the  other  at  Malta,  to  be 

tlicy  hud  hut  ()ni>  hoavt  ;  and  a  tronerons  iMiinlation  uri?od  both  to  renewed  exertions,  in 
till'  (icciiliar  stations  in  which  they  had  been  placed  by  their  coniniander, 

Wliilc;  servint,'  i)ii  tlic  Mcdilterranc^au  station,  Mr.  Somers,  accompanied  by  two  other 
oiliccis,  was  walking  in  the  dusk  ot  the  I'vonini,',  a  short  dislauco  from  Syracu.se,  w!ien 
five  .'^iciliiin  soldicn-s  inadc  an  as-iuilt  on  them  with  drawn  swords,  the  intention  being 
to  rub.  'J'hore  was  ooc  dirk  anioni?  lli(!  Americans,  and  no  other  arms.  The  oiliccr 
wild  had  tills  wi\aiM)n,  sdon  disposed  of  Ills  assailant,  but  Mr.  Soinerswas  conipolk'd  to 
••'■i/c  the  sword  of  the  ni'MiiT  who  altackeil  him,  and  to  close.  In  (101111?  so  he  was  badly 
woiinclt'd  in  thu  baud,  but  lie  succeeded  in  disr.rmin^'  the  assassin,  pluni,'ed  the  weapon 
into  his  body,  wh(;ii  tlie  otiicr  three  Sicilians  iled.  The  two  dead  bodies  were  carried 
into  town  and  recognised,  but  their  comrades  were  never  discovered. 


President 

44, 

Constitution 

44, 

Congress 

38, 

Constellation 

38, 

Essex 

32, 

Siren 

16. 

Argus 

16, 

Vixen 

12, 

Enterprise 

12, 

Nautilus 

12, 

262 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[1804. 


■):  i 


converted  into  bombards.  Tliey  were  never  used  in  that  capacity, 
however,  two  arriving  from  America  before  tlie  season  for  action  had 
retui  nod.  The  vessel  purchased  at  Maha  was  converted  into  a  sloop, 
armed  and  manned,  and  put  under  the  comnmnd  of  Lieutenant 
Evans.     She  was  called  the  Hornet. 

The  long  delay  in  the  appearance  of  the  reinforcement,  ai)penrs  to 
have  been  owing  to  some  of  those  intrigues  among  the  Barbary 
powers,  which  it  has  been  found  has  always  induced  them  to  co-ope- 
rate in  this,  if  in  no  other  manner,  whenever  there  was  a  war  with  the 
Chrislians.  Commodore  Barron  was  met  at  the  Straits  by  rumours 
of  the  bad  disposition  of  the  Emj)eror  of  Morocco,  and  he  found  it 
necessary  to  en>ploy  part  of  his  force  in  that  quarter  in  order  to 
overawe  the  Moors.  When  he  wenl  aloft,  the  Essex  was  left  below, 
n.id  a  cruiser  or  two  appears  to  have  been  kept  constantly  on  the 
lower  station  throughout  the  winter. 

The  l)lockade  of  Tripoli  was  mnintained  by  dificrcn':  vessels  during 
the  l)ad  season  of  1804-5;  but  no  attack  was  attempted,  although 
preparations  were  nmde  to  renew  the  war  in  the  spring.  One  of  the 
iirst  measures  of  Connnodore  Preble,  on  reaching  America,  sias  to 
urge  upon  the  government  the  necessity  of  building  suitable  bomb- 
•-hes,  and  a  few  gun-boats  fitted  to  cannonade  a  ])lace  like  Tri- 
poli. His  advice  was  followed,  the  vessels  being  iamiediately  laid 
down,  but  it  being  found  impossible  to  have  the  ketches  ready  in 
time,  the  two  vessels  before  mentioned,  were  purchased,  strengthened, 
and  etpiipped  as  bombards. 

■  In  November,  Captain  Rodgers,  as  the  senior  ofticer  was  put  in 
command  of  the  Constitution,  while  Captain  Decatur  was  transferred 
to  the  Congress.  The  winter  and  spring  passed  in  this  manner,  the 
blockade  being  maintained  M'ith  vigour,  most  of  the  time,  though  no 
event  worthy  of  note  occurred  off*  the  port.  While  matters  renuiined 
in  this  state  with  the  ships,  a  movement  by  land,  was  in  the  course  of 
execution,  that  must  now  be  recorded,  as  it  is  intimately  connected 
with  the  historv  of  the  war. 

It  has  been  said  already,  that  Jussuf  Caramalli,  the  reigning 
pacha,  or  bashaw  of  Tripoli,  was  a  usurper,  having  deposed  his  elder 
brother  Hamet,  in  order  to  obtain  the  throne.  The  latter  had  escaped 
from  the  regency,  and  after  passing  a  wandering  life,  he  had  taken 
refuge  among  tli(>  INInnu'lukcs  of  Egypt.  It  had  often  been  suggested 
to  the  American  agents,  that  the  deposed  ])rince  might  be  made  useful 
in  carrying  on  the  war  against  the  usurper,  and  at  difll-rent  times, 
several  projects  h;ul  been  eutertaiiu'd  to  that  eflVct,  though  never  with 
any  residts.  At  length,  INIr.  Eaton,  the  consul  at  Tunis,  who  had 
been  a  captain  in  th(>  arniy,  interested  himself  in  the  enterprise  ;  and 
coming  to  AnuM'ica,  la;  so  far  prevailed  on  the  government  to  lend 
itselfto  bis  vitsws,  as  to  (»!)tain  a  species  of  indirect  su|)port.  Coni- 
mo(ior(>  Barron  was  directed  to  co-operate  with  Mr.  Eaton,  as  far  as 
he  miuht  deem  it  discreet. 

When  tli(!  new  squadron  arrived  (Mit,  it  was  accordingly  ascer- 
tained where  the  ex-ljasliaw  was  to  lu  found,  and  Mr.  Eaton  at  once 
connneneed  his  ojxrations.     Two  or  three  days  after  Conunodoro 


1805.] 


NAVAL  IIISTOIIY. 


263 


times, 
T  with 
lo  had 
;  and 
to  liuul 
Coin- 
far  as 

ascor- 
it  once 
uodore 


Barron  had  nssuined  the;  conunaiid  before  Trlpoh,  he  went  tli<'  Arjius 
10,  Captain  Hull,  witli  that  "entleinan  to  Alexandria,  wlicre  he 
arrived  on  the  2(>th  of  November.  On  the  !iI9ih,  INIr.  Eaton,  aecoiii- 
puiiied  by  Lieutenant  O'Baiinoii,  of  the  marines,  and  Messrs.  Mann 
and  Danielson,  two  midshipinen.  of  the  s(|uadron,  proceeded  to 
Ros<;tta,  and  thence  to  Cairo.  The  viceroy  of  Egypt  received  them 
with  favour,  and  permission  was  obtained  for  the  prince  of  Tripoli 
to  pass  out  of  the  country  unmolested,  thou<>h  he  had  been  fighting 
against  the  government,  with  the  discontented  Mamelukes. 

As  soon  us  llamet  Caranialli  received  the  proposals  of  Mr.  Eaton, 
he  separated  liimself  from  the  Mamelukes,  attended  by  about  iin'ty 
followers,  and  repaired  to  a  point  twelve  leagues  to  the  westward  of 
the  old  port  of  Alexandria.  Here  he  was  soon  joined  by  Mr.  Eaton, 
at  the  h(;ad  of  a  small  troop  of  adventurers,  whom  he  had  obtained 
in  Egypt.  This  party  was  composed  of  all  nations,  though  Mr. 
Eaton  expressed  his  belief,  at  the  time,  that  had  he  ))ossessed  the 
means  of  subsistence,  he  might  have  inarched  a  body  of  30,001)  men 
against  Tripoli,  the  reigning  bashaw  having  forced  so  many  of  his 
subjects  into  banishment.  Soon  after  the  junction  agreed  upon,  Mr. 
Eat(ni,  who  now  assumed  the  title  of  general,  inarched  in  the  direction 
of  Dome,  taking  the  route  across  the  Desert  of  Barca.  This  was 
early  in  1805. 

The  Argus  had  returned  to  Malta  for  orders  and  stores,  and  on 
the  '2d  of  April,  she  re-apjieared  oft'  Bomba,  with  the  Hornet  10, 
Lieutenant  Commandant  Evans,  in  company.  Cruising  on  this 
coast  a  fiiw  days,  without  obtaining  any  intelligence  of  General  Eaton 
and  the  bashaw.  Captain  Hull  steered  to  the  westward,  and,  a  i'ew 
leagues  to  the  eastward  of  Derne,  he  fell  in  with  the  Nautilus,  Lieu- 
tenant Commandant  Dent.  On  coinniMiiicating  with  this  vessel, 
which  was  lying  close  in  with  the  shore.  Captain  Hull  ascertained  that 
the  expedition  was  on  the  coast,  and  that  it  waited  only  for  the  arms 
and  supplies  that  had  been  brought  to  attack  Derne,  from  which 
town  it  was  but  a  league  distant.  A  field-piece  was  landed,  together 
with  some  stores  and  mnsk(!ts,  and  a  few  marines  appear  to  have 
been  put  under  the  orders  of  Mr.  O'Bannon,  of  the  corps,  when  the 
vessels  took  their  stJitions  to  aid  in  the  attack. 

It  was -2,  P.  M.,  on  the  •■27th  of  April,  ISOo,  that  this  assault,  so 
novel  for  Americans  to  be  engaged  in,  in  the  other  hemisphere,  was 
coinmenecd.  The  Hornet,  Lieutenant  Commandant  Evans,  having 
run  close  in,  and  anchored  with  springs  on  her  cables,  within  pistol- 
shot  of  a  battery  of  eight  guns,  o[)ened  her  fire.  The  Nautilus  lay 
at  a  little  distance  to  the  eastward,  and  the  Argus  still  further  in  the 
same  din'ction,  the  two  latter  firing  on  the  town  and  battery,  lu 
about  an  hour,  the  enemy  were  driven  from  the  work,  when  all  the 
vessels  directed  tlnnr  guns  at  the  beach,  to  clear  the  way  for  the  ad- 
vance of  the  party  on  shore.  The  enemy  made  an  irregular  but 
spirited  f'cfence,  keeping  up  a  neavy  fire  of  musketry,  as  the  assailants 
advanced,  from  behind  houses  and  walls.  At  half-past  3,  however, 
Lieuf(  iiaiit  O'lJannon  and  Mr.  Mann  stormed  the  ))rincipal  work, 
hauling  down  the  Tripolitan  ensigii,  ami,   for  the   first  lime  in  the 


!      ■' 


264 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


[]S05. 


history  of  the  country,  lioisting  tliat  of  the  republic  on  p  fi^rtrcss  of 
the  old  world.  Tiie  enemy  were  dri'/f^n  out  of  tliis  work  wiiii  so 
much  precipitation,  that  they  left  its  guns  loaded,  and  even  jjriined. 
The  cannon  were  immediately  turned  upon  the  town,  and  Hamet 
Caramalli  havings  made  a  lodgment  on  the  other  side,  so  as  to  bring 
the  enemy  between  two  fires,  the  place  submitted.  At  4  o'clock, 
the  boats  of  the  vessels  landed  with  ammunition  for  the  guns  and  to 
bring  olf  the  wounded,  Derne  being  completely  in  possession  of  the 
assailants. 

lathis  affair,  only  14  of  the  assailants  were  killed  and  wounded, 
General  Eaton  being  among  the  latter.  The  attack  was  made  by 
about  1200  men,  while  the  place  was  supposed  to  be  defended  by 
three  or  four  thousand.  One  or  i  vo  attempts  were  made  by  the 
Tripolitans,  to  regain  possession,  but  they  were  easily  repulsed,  and 
on  one  occasion,  with  some  loss.  The  deposed  bashaw  renniined 
in  possession  of  the  town,  and  his  authority  was  partially  recognised 
in  the  province.  General  Eaton  now  earnestly  pressed  Comnjodore 
Barron  for  further  supplies  and  reinforcements,  with  a  view  to  march 
on  Tripoli ;  but  they  were  denied,  on  the  gn.und  that  Hamet 
Caramalli  was  in  possession  of  the  second  province  of  the  regency, 
and  if  he  had  the  influence  that  he  pretended  to,  he  ought  to  be 
able  to  effect  his  object  by  means  of  the  ordinary  co-operation  of  the 
squadron. 

This  decision  of  Commodore  Barron  was  the  subject  of  much 
political  and  military  criticism  at  the  time,  that  officer  having  been 
censured  for  not  sustaining  a  successful  partisan,  who  certainly 
promised  to  tt,  minate  the  war  in  a  manner  much  beyond  the  most 
sanguine  hopes  of  the  country.  It  is  not  easy  to  decide  on  the  merits 
or  demerits  of  measures  of  this  nature,  without  being  in  possession 
of  all  the  distinctive  facts  that  must  govern  every  enterprise,  and  it  is 
proper  to  abstain  from  venturing  an  opinion,  that  might  not  be  enter- 
tained at  all,  when  intimately  acquainted  with  circumstances.  The 
nsiiture  of  the  tiffhting  at  Derne  shows  that  little  had  as  yet  been  over- 
cftfinc,  and,  as  tixr  force  of  the  reigning  bashaw  was  known  to  be  not 
less  than  20;000  men,  in  some  measure  inured  to  war,  it  would  have 
been  tla;  heiijht  vtt  iuiprndenco  to  have  {xdvanced  against  the  capital, 
at  the  head  of  t)kie  iwsigiiificant  and  ill-organised  fort  hat  was  col- 
lected at  Derne.  On  the  other  li;uid,  did  it  appear,  that,  by  merely 
supplying  arms  and  ammuiiiln^n.  with  hospital  stores  and  other 
military  supplies,  a  column  of  fnfTe  oould  have  been  marched  in  front 
of  Trii)oii,  with  reasonable  hope>  </»f  obtaining  a  support  from  the 
poptdatioii,  there  would  have  been  an  error  in  Judgment  in  denvir.g 
the  request.  Whatever  may  have  been  the  true  character  of  the 
decision  taken,  however,  Connnodore  Barron  would  seem  to  have 
had  but  little  concern  with  it,  as  that  excellent  officer  and  highly 
res|)('('ral)!(!  gentleman  was  in  extremely  ill  health  fit  die  time,  with 
but  faint  lio|)cs  of  n-eovery,  and  on  the  'J'iil  of  May,  he  fornudly 
t»t*»»sf('rre(l  the  command  ot  the  squadron  in  the  Mediterranean,  as 
mvW  as  of  the  vessels  expected ,  to  Captain  John  Ilodgers,  the  ofViccr 


1805.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


265 


Ml.  5 
the 
lavo 
•  lily 
vith 
(illy 
I,  as 
icer 


next  in  rank  to  himself.  The 
when  the  vessels  known  to  be 
follows : 


entire  force  under  this  now  disposition, 
about  to  bu  i  should  arrive,  would  be  as 


Constitution 

44, 

Com 

Rodgers. 

President 

44, 

Capt 

.Cox. 

Constellation 

38, 

Campbell. 

Congress 

38, 

Decatur. 

Essex 

32, 

J.  Barron. 

John  Adamij 

28, 

Chaunuey. 

fe.ren 

10, 

Stewart. 

Argus 

16, 

Hull. 

Vixen 

12, 

Smith. 

Nautilus 

12, 

Lieut.  Com.  Dent. 

Enterprise 

12, 

"      Robinson. 

Hornet 

12, 

"      Evans. 

■n      ,              (  Venjreance 
Bombs.         ^  o  -.2 
(  Spitfire 

Lewis. 

M'Niell. 

( 

'>fo.      3 

1  gun, 

Izard. 

3 

2    " 

Maxwell. 

4 

2    « 

J.  D.  Henley. 

5 

2    " 

Harrison. 

Gun-boats.    - 

6 

8 

2    " 

2    " 

Lawrence. 
Harraden. 

9 

2    " 

Elbert. 

10 

2    « 

Carter. 

11 
12 

1    " 
1    " 

The  bombards  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  list,  were  the  two  ves- 
sels j)urchased  in  America  and  fitted  for  the  purpose  ;  and  gun-boats 
Nos.  2,  3, 4,  5,  6,  8, 9,  and  10,  were  large  of  *heir  class,  having  been 
regularly  and  carefully  constructed  at  hom( .  They  were  long,  low, 
narrow  vessels,  principally  sloop-rigged,  and  •.•  '^stof  them  mounted 
two  heavy  tlnrty-two-pounders,  one  at  each  r  id.  As  they  were  ready 
to  sail  in  the  mild  season,  it  was  thought  by  putting  their  guns  be- 
low, they  might  be  carried  across  the  Atlantic,  although  their  gun- 
wales, when  the  vessels  were  ready  for  service,  were  scarcely  two  feet 
from  the  water.  They  sailed  at  different  times,  and  all  arrived 
safely  but  one.  No.  7,  Lieutenant  Ogilvic,  .mailed  May  14,  180.>,  but 
springing  her  mast,  she  returned  to  New  Y"*'*k  to  refit.  She  sailed 
a  second  time,  June  the  20th,  and  was  never  heard  of  afterwards. 
No.  7  made  the  fourth  American  cruiser  that  had  thus  disappeared 
within  thirty  years.*  It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  remaining 
eight  boats  arrived  at  Syracuse  within  forty-ei^'  t  hours  of  each  other. 
Lieutenant  James  Lawrence  took  No.  6  to  the  Mediterranean,  arriv- 
ing safely.  When  near  the  Western  Islands,  he  fell  in  with  the 
Britisli  frigate  Lapwing  28,  Captain  Upton,  which  ran  for  liim,  un- 
der tile  impression  that  the  gun-boat  was  some  wrecked  mariners  on 

•Saratoga  16,  I'lnsurgentc  3G,  Pl'it  ':  v  14,  and  No,  7. 


i  '' 


■1  I 


266 


NAVAI.  HISTOIIY. 


[1805. 


I: 


n 


a  raft,  tlirre  b<'in«^  a  great  show  of  canvnsM,  niul  apparently  no  hull. 
On  the  12th  of  June,  No.  0  fi  II  in  with  the  Heet  of  Admiral  Collinjr- 
wood,  off  Cadiz,  and  while  Mr.  Lawrence  was  on  i)oard  one  of  the 
British  ships,  a  boat  was  m  nt  and  took  three  men  out  of  No.  (»,  under 
the  pretence  tluit  they  were  Enj^'lishmen.  On  his  return  to  his  own 
vessel,  Mr.  Lawrence  hided  down  his  ensign,  hut  no  nc  i  •  was 
taken  of  the  proceeding  hy  the  British.  It  is  a  fitting  eon  <  :,iary 
on  this  transaction,  that,  in  the  published  letters  of  Lord  Colling- 
wood,  where  he  speaks  of  the  impressment  of  Americans,  h(>  says 
that  England  woidd  not  submit  to  such  ati  aggression  f(»r  an  hour  ! 
Shortly  after  assuming  the  command.  Commodore  Rodgers  trans- 
ferred Captain  J.  Barron  from  the  Essev  32,  to  the  President  14, 
giving  the  former  ship  to  Captain  Cox,  who  was  only  a  master  and 
commander. 

Negotiations  for  peace  now  comncnced  in  earnest,  Mr.  Lear  hav 
ing  arrived  off  Tripoli,  for  that  purpose,  in  the  Essex,  Captain  IJnr 
ron.     After  the  usual  intrigues,  delays,  and  prevarications,  a  treaty 
was  signed  on  the  3d  of  June,  1805.     By  this  treaty,  no  tribute  was 
to  be  paid  in  future,  but  $60,000  were  given  by  America,  for  the  ran 
soni  of  the  remaining  prisoners,  after  exchanging  the  Tripolitans  in 
her  power,  man  for  nmn. 

It  is  not  easy  to  express  approbation  of  the  terms  of  this  peace. 
America  had  been  contending  for  the  usages  of  civilisation,  and  the 
rights  of  nations,  and  the  rans»)m  was  a  direct  fibandonment  of  both. 
When  we  remember  the  force  that  was  about  to  assemble  before 
Tripoli,  the  season  of  the  year,  the  fact  that  Dernc  was  occupied  by 
Hamot  Caramalli,  iini\  the  disposition  that  so  generally  prevailed  in 
the  squadron  to  r(';i<;'iv  t!;e  attacks  on  the  enemy,  we  find  it  difficult 
to  believe  that  h<'ii,  r  to?  ms  nught  not  have  been  obtained.  How  far 
the  course  of  the  neactiator  was  compelled  by  his  instructions,  we 
have  no  means  of  s.ij  ing,  but  the  treaty  was  approved  and  ratified. 
While  many  condemned  it  as  unwise,  all,  however,  rejoiced  that  it 
was  the  means  of  restoring  so  many  brave  men  to  their  country.  It 
is  no  more  than  liberal,  moreover,  to  believe  that  the  situation  of  these 
unfortunate  officers  and  men,  had  a  deep  influence  in  inducing  the 
government  to  forego  abstract  considerations,  with  a  view  to  their 
relief. 

Thus  terminated  the  war  with  Tripoli,  after  an  existence  of  four 
years.  It  is  probable  that  the  United  States  would  have  retained  in 
service  some  officers,  and  would  have  kept  up  a  small  force,  had  not 
this  contest  occurred,  but  its  influence  on  the  fortunes  and  character 
of  the  navy  is  incalculable.  It  saved  the  first,  in  a  degree  at  lca;.-t, 
and  it  may  be  said  to  have  formed  the  last.  Perhaps  no  s(!r\  ice, 
either  in  the  way  of  ships  or  officers,  ever  had  so  large  a  proportion 
of  what  was  excellent  in  it,  and  so  small  a  proportion  of  that  which 
was  defective,  as  the  navy  of  the  United  States,  the  day  ])eace  was 
signed  with  Tripoli.  A  stern  discipline,  a  high  moral  tone,  rare 
models  in  seamanship,  active  warfare,  the  means  of  comparison,  and 
a  spirit  of  emidation  that  is  certain  to  cfirry  the  national  character  to 
the  highest  level,  whenever  the  national  energies  can  be  permitted  to 


!,-_, 


1800.] 


NAVAL  HISTORY. 


2G7 


exhn>it  tlicmselvos,  hiul  coiispinul  to  |>ro(lii(-('  tliis  end.  Tlic  |i«'tularit 
and  always  qn(>stional)l('  proofs  ot  private  rcnroiitrcs,  whicli  an;  ho 
apt  to  sully  tin;  renown  of  infant  s(!rvice,-,  had  (lisap[)(!{irod  in  a  chiv- 
alry that  8f;enied  to  have  forjfotten  all  hut  the  country  and  her  honour. 
Not  a  duel  wa:^  fought  during  the  command  of  Prehle  ;  the  hravo 
men  nssenihled  under  his  orders,  refj.uded  «aeh  oilier  as  hrothers, 
and  the  honour  of  one  appeared  to  he  connected  wuh  the  honour  of 
all.  An  adntirahle  esprit  de  corps  was  created,  and  the  ))utton,  which 
bore  the  einhletn  of  the  common  profession,  was  deemed  a  signal  of 
the  presence  of  a  friend.  Men  h;id  stood  hy  <  eh  other  in  moments 
of  severe  trial,  and  even  the  body  of  the  natj/       which  is  so  little  ad- 


dicted to  the  sentimental,  or  the  abstrru- 
with  open  ])ridc.  In  a  word,  the  ton* 
and  spirit,  that  the  navy  derived  from  t 
unimportant  war,  prepared  it  for  anotin 
at  band.  The  impression  produced  in 
favourable,  and  the  head  of  the  Romish  cliurcli  is  said  to  have  pub- 
licly declared,  that  America  had  done  more  for  Christendom,  against 
the  barbarians,  than  all  the  powers  of  Etirope  united. 


n  to  regard  the  (lag 
)c,  pride,  emulation, 

■»d,  in  one  sense, 
rer  trial  that  was 

rranean  was  also 


?     I 


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Photographic 

Sciences 

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as  WIST  MAIN  STRUT 

WitSTIR.N.Y.  USM 

(716)  872-4S03 


APPENDIX. 


Note  A. 

Agreement  between  Captain  John  Paul  Jones  and  the  Officers  of  the 

Squadron. 


!   I  < 


[Translation.] 

Agreement  between  Messrs.  John  Paul  Jones,  Captain  of  the 
Bon  Homme  Richard ;  Pierre  Landais,  Captain  of  the  AlUance ; 
Dennis  Nicolas  Cottineau,  Captain  of  the  Pallas;  Joseph  Varage, 
Captain  of  the  Stag  (le  Cerf) ;  and  Philip  Nicolas  Ricot,  Captain 
of  the  Vengeance;  composing  a  squadron,  that  shall  be  commanded 
by  the  oldest  officer  of  the  highest  grade,  and  so  on  in  succession, 
in  case  of  death  or  retreat.  None  of  the  said  commanders,  whilst 
they  are  not  separated  from  the  said  squadron,  by  order  of  the  min- 
ister, shall  act  but  by  virtue  of  the  brevet  which  they  shall  have 
obtained  from  the  United  States  of  America;  and  it  is  agreed  that 
the  flag  of  the  United  States  shall  be  displayed. 

The  division  of  prizes  to  the  superior  officers  and  crews  of  said 
squadron,  shall  be  made  agreeably  to  the  American  laws  ;  but  it  is 
agreed,  that  the  proportion  of  the  whole,  coming  to  each  vessel  of 
the  squadron,  shall  be  regulated  by  the  minister  of  the  marine  depart- 
ment of  France,  and  the  minister  plenipotentiary  of  the  United 
States  of  America. 

A  copy  of  the  American  laws  shall  be  annexed  to  the  present 
agreement,  after  having  been  certified  by  the  commander  of  the  Bon 
Homme  Richard  ;  but  as  the  said  laws  cannot  foresee  nor  determine 
as  to  what  may  concern  the  vessels  and  subjects  of  other  nations,  it 
is  expressly  agreed,  that  whatever  may  be  contrary  to  them  shall  be 
regulated  by  the  minister  of  the  French  marine,  and  the  minister  of 
the  United  States  of  America. 

It  is  likewise  agreed,  that  the  orders  given  by  the  minister  of  the 
French  marine,  and  the  minister  plenipotentiary  of  the  United  States, 
shall  be  executed. 

Considering  the  necessity  there  is  for  preserving  the  interests  of 
each  individual,  the  prizes  that  shall  be  taken  shall  be  remitted  co  the 
orders  of  Monsieur  le  Ray  de  Chaumont,  Honorary  Intendant  of  the 
Royal  Hotel  of  Invalids,  who  has  furnished  the  expenses  of  the 
armament  of  said  squadron. 


1 1 


■  i 


i 


i 


! 

t-. 

i 


270 


APPENDIX. 


It  is  agreed,  that  M.  le  Ray  de  Chaiimont  be  requested  not  to  give 
up  the  part  of  the  prizes  coniing  to  all  the  crews,  and  to  each  individ- 
ual of  the  said  squadron,  but  to  their  order,  and  to  be  responsible  for 
the  same  in  his  own  proper  name. 

Whereas  the  said  squadron  has  been  formed  for  the  purpose  of 
injuring  the  common  enemies  of  France  and  America,  it  has  been 
agreed  that  such  armed  vessels,  whether  French  or  American,  may 
be  associated  therewith,  as  by  common  consent  shall  be  found  suita- 
ble for  the  purpose,  and  that  they  shall  have  such  proportion  of  the 
prizes  which  shall  be  taken,  as  the  laws  of  their  respective  countries 
allow. 

In  case  of  the  death  of  any  one  of  the  before  mentioned  command- 
ers of  vessels,  he  shall  be  replaced  agreeably  to  the  order  of  the  tariff, 
with  liberty,  however,  to  choose  whether  he  will  remain  in  his  own 
ship,  or  give  up  to  the  next  in  order  the  command  of  the  vacant  ship. 

It  has  moreover  been  agreed,  that  the  commander  of  the  Stag 
(le  Cerf)  shall  be  excepted  trom  the  last  article  of  this  present  agree- 
ment, because,  in  case  of  a  disaster  to  M.  de  Varage,  he  shall  be 
replaced  by  his  second  in  command,  and  so  on  by  the  other  officers 
of  his  cutter,  the  Stag  (le  Cerf). 

J.  P.  Jones, 
P.  Landais, 

De  COTTINEAU, 

Varage, 

P.  RiCOT, 

Le  Ray  de  Chaumont. 

(Spark's  Diplomatic  Correspondence,  page  205,  vol.  iii.) 


Note  B. 


In  consequence  of  the  infancy  of  the  arts  in  America,  both  the 
soldiers  tud  seamen  have  had  to  contend  with  their  enemies,  in  the 
wars  that  are  passed,  under  the  disadvantages  of  possessing  inferior 
arms,  powder,  and  even  shot.  How  far  these  deficiencies  in  the  guns 
and  shot  may  have  been  felt  in  the  Revolution,  it  is  not  easy  to  say, 
as  a  large  portion  of  the  military  supplies  were  obtained  either  from 
the  enemy  himself,  or  from  Europe.  Afttr  the  Revolution,  however, 
down  to  the  close  of  the  last  war  with  England,  the  navy  in  particu- 
lar laboured  under  great  disadvantages  on  account  of  defective  arma- 
ments and  stores.  In  many  of  the  actions,  more  men  were  injured 
by  the  bursting  of  guns  than  by  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  and  the  shot, 
from  improper  casting,  frequently  broke  when  they  struck.  Another 
consequence  of  this  ilefectivc  casting  was  a  diminution  in  weight, 
and  consequently,  in  momentum.  The  latter  fact  having  been  allud- 
ed to,  in  the  course  of  the  war,  the  writer,  with  a  view  to  this  work, 
personally  weighed  a  quantity  of  shot,  both  English  and  American, 


APPENDIX. 


271 


and  made  a  note  of  the  results.  It  was  found  that  the  old  shot,  or 
those  with  which  the  ships  were  supplied  nt  the  commcncenicnt  of 
the  war  of  1812,  were  comparatively  lighter  than  those  which  had 
been  cast  at  a  later  day ;  but  in  no  instance  was  an  American  shot 
even  then  found  of  full  weight.  On  the  other  hand,  the  English  shot 
were  uniformly  of  accurate  weight.  Some  of  the  American  32  pound 
shot,  weighed  but  30  pounds  ;  and  a  gentleman  present  on  the  occa- 
sion, assured  the  writer  that,  a  few  years  earlier,  he  had  met  with 
many  which  did  not  much  exceed  29  pounds.  The  heaviest  weigh- 
ed was  31  pounds  3  ounces.  An  average  of  four,  all  of  which  were 
of  the  later  castings,  gave  30  pounds  1 1  ounces.  The  average  of  the 
18  pound  shot  was  about  17  pounds  ;  but,  it  was  understood,  as  this 
examination  occurred  several  years  after  the  peace,  that  the  shot,  as 
well  as  the  guns,  were  then  materially  better  than  they  had  been 
previously  to  and  during  the  war. 

The  reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  twelve  French  pounds  make 
nearly  thirteen  English.  Thus,  while  the  gun-deck  batteries  of 
I'Insurgente  were  nominally  twelves,  the  shot  weighed  about  13 
pounds.  On  the  other  hand,  the  gun-deck  batteries  of  the  Constella- 
tion were  nominally  twenty-fours,  but  the  shot  probably  weighed 
about  22  pounds. 

In  the  action  with  la  Vengeance,  the  two  ships  had  the  same  nom- 
inal weight  of  metal  on  their  gun-decks,  viz.  eighteen  pounders. 
But  the  eighteen-pound  shot  of  the  Vengeance  must  have  weighed 
nearly  19|^  English  pounds,  while  those  of  the  Constellation  did  not 
probably  weigh  17  pounds,  if  indeed  they  weighed  more  than  IG 
pounds. 

It  has  been  asserted  that  the  English  shot  were  over-weight,  but 
the  writer  weighed  a  good  many  himself,  and  he  found  them  all  sur- 
prisingly accurate. 


1  4 


Note  C. 


oth  the 
in  the 
nferior 
le  guns 
to  say, 
from 
)wever, 
)articu- 
arma- 
injured 
le  shot, 
nother 
weight, 
allud- 
work, 
lerican, 


List  of  the  Officers  of  the  Navy,  before  the  Peace  Establishment 

Law  0/I8OI  was  passed. 


CAPTAINS. 


John  Barry, 
Samuel  Nicholson, 
Silas  Talbot, 
Richard  Dale, 
Thomas  Truxtun, 
James  Sever, 
Stephen  Decatur, 
Christopher  R.  Perry, 
Richard  V.  Morris, 
Alexander  Murray, 
Daniel  M'Niell, 
Thomas  Tingey, 


Samuel  Barron, 
Moses  Brown, 
Moses  Tryon, 
Richard  Derby, 
George  Little, 
John  Rodgers, 
Edward  Preble, 
John  MuUowny, 
James  Barron, 
Thomas  Baker, 
Henry  Geddes, 
Thomas  Robinson, 


272 


APPENDIX. 


Patrick  Fletcher, 
George  Cross, 


William  Bainbridge, 
Hugh  G.  Campbell. 


MASTERS  COMMANDANT. 


Cyrus  Talbot, 
David  Jewett, 
William  Cowper, 
Richard  Law,  Jr. 


Charles  C.  Russell, 
Benjamin  Hillar, 
John  A.  Spotswood. 


List  of  Officers  retained  on  the  Peace  Establishment. 

We  have  set  opposite  to  every  name,  the  ultimate  stat.on  each 
individual  attained  as  far  as  can  be  ascertained,  and  as  a  means  of 
showing  the  average  fortunes  of  those  who  have  been  engaged  in  the 
hardy  service  of  the  sea. 

CAPTAINS. 

-  died  at  the  head  of  the  navy,  in  1803. 
do.        do.         do.         do.      in  ISll. 

-  resigned  in  1802. 
do.     in  1802. 

-  dismissed  without  trial,  1804. 

-  died  at  the  head  of  the  service,  in  1821. 
•  died  1810. 

-  died  at  the  head  of  the  service,  in  1838. 

-  died  in  1807. 

-  at  the  head  of  the  service,  1846. 

-  died  in  1833. 

-  died  in  1820. 

LIEUTENANTS. 

-  second  on  the  list  of  captains,  184G. 

-  died  a  captain,  1844. 

-  resigned,   a  master   commandant,  in 
1805. 

-  died  a  captain,  in  1823. 

-  resigned  1803. 

-  died  a  captain,  1842. 

-  resigned  1802. 

-  resigned  1801. 

-  resigned  1802. 

-  died  a  captain,  in  1815. 

-  resigned  1802. 

-  killed  in  battle,  a  master  com.,  in  1804. 

-  killed  in  a  duel,  a  captain,  in  1820. 

-  resigned,  a  master  com.,  in  1808. 

-  died,  a  captain,  in  1823. 

-  resigned,  a  master  com.,  in  1809. 

-  resigned  in  1801. 

-  resigned  in  1804. 


John  Barry, 
Samuel  Nicholson, 
Richard  Dale, 
Thomas  Truxtun, 
Richard  V.  Morris, 
Alexander  Murray, 
Samuel  Barron, 
John  Rodgers, 
Edward  Preble, 
James  Barron, 
William  Bainbridge, 
Hugh  G.  Campbell, 


Charles  Stewart,    - 
Isaac  Hull, 
Andrew  Sterrett,    - 

John  Shaw, 
John  M'Rea, 
Isaac  Chauncey,     - 
Robert  W.  Hamilton, 
John  Ballard, 
John  Rush, 
John  Smith, 
Freeborn  Banning, 
Richard  Somers,     - 
Stephen  Decatur, 
George  Cox, 
John  II.  Dent, 
Thomas  Robinson,  Jr. 
John  Cowper, 
John  T.  R.  Cox,     - 


t  m 

1      X. 


APPENDIX. 


278 


William  C.  Jenks,  r 

David  Porter,         -         .,» 
John  Cassin,  •  ^ 

Samuel  Evans, 
George  G.  Lee, 
Charfes  Gordon,    * 
Richard  H.  L.  Lawson,    - 
Godfrey  Wood,      * 
Edward  Wyer,     .,  *,: '.     .,ifi 
Geo. W. Tew,        -    .if 
Henry  Vandyke,    - 
John  M.  Claggett, 
Phil.  C.  Wederstrandt,     • 
Joshua  Blake, 
Joseph  Tarbell, 
James  R.  GaldweU,       '  f 
Lewis  C.  Bailey,    -     ,.g  ;^ 

Jacob  Jones, 


Wm.  Henry  Allen, 
Samuel  Angus, 

Thos.  O.  Anderson, 
William  Butler,      - 
Joseph  Bainbridge, 
William  Burrows, 
William  Blake,      - 
Samuel  G.  Blodgett, 
Clement  Biddle,     - 
James  Biddle, 
P.  C.  Blake, 
Edward  Bennett,    - 
Johnston  Blakely, 
Thomas  T.  Beall, 
Walter  Boyd, 
Peter  E.  Bentley, 
James  Biggs, 
E.  R.  Blaine, 
Thomas  Brown,     - 
Michael  B.  Carrol, 
George  Calder, 
Edward  N.  Cox,    - 
Aaron  F.  Cook, 
William  Campbell, 
William  M.  Crane, 
Stephen  Cassin,     - 
J.  Orde  Creighton, 

TOL.  I. 


H 


dismissed  in  1804. 
resigned,  a  captain,  in  1826. 
died,  a  captain,  in  1822. 
died,  a  captain,  in  1824. 
resigned  in  1805. 
died,  a  captain,  in  1817. 
resigned  in  1804.  , 

resigned  in  1802. 
resigned  in  1805. 
died  on  the  Mediterranean  station,  1803. 
killed  in  a  duel,  in  1803. 
lost  in  the  Bay  of  Gibraltar,  1801.       ?  < 
resigned,  a  master  com.,  1810.  .  ;>     *  < 
resigned  in  1806.  o'  i  •  *  i;     •' 

died,  a  captain,  in  1815, .  ,^„  v  ',-^,, . ,,  > 
killed  in  battle,  in  1804.    .     ;    :      >  !  i 
dropped  subsequently,  under  the  re- 
duction law. 
third  on  the  list  of  captains,  1846.   ^  <, 

MIDSHIPMSN.  r.  .    f^.  -T" 

killed  in  battle,  a  master  com.,  1814. 
dismissed  and  subsequently  pensioned 

a  captain,  in  1824. 
resigned,  a  lieutenant,  1807.  "/^\ 

resigned  1807.  '    ". 

died,  a  captain,  in  1824, 
killed  in  battle,  a  lieut.  com.,  in  1813. 
did  not  join,  and  was  dropped, 
drowned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810.  >' 
resigned  1804.  '  ^      ;' 

seventh  captain,  1846. 
resigned  1804. 
died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810. 
lost  at  sea,  a  mast,  com.,  in  1814. 
resigned  1803. 
dismissed  in  1810. 
resigned  1802.  ' 

resigned  1803. 
resigned  in  1804. 
died,  a  captain,  in  1828. 
resigned,  a  master  commandant, 
resigned  1802. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1809. 
permitted  to  retire,  in  1801. 
resigned  1802. 
sixth  captain,  1846. 
tenth  captain,  in  1838. 
died,  a  captain,  in  1838. 

18 


.v*'> 


% 


U      1 


;■   r 


274 


APPENDIX. 


«  J  ,' 


II.  P.  Casey, 
'William  Cutbush, 
Henry  J.  Cobb,      • 
J.  P.  D.  H.  Craig, 
Richard  Carey, 

Charles  CoQmb, 
Winlock  Clark,      - 
James  Decatur, 
William  Duncanson, 
John  Dorsey, 
Daniel  S.  Dexter, 
John  Davis, 
David  Deacon, 
George  Dabney,     - 
John  Downes, 
Samuel  Elbert, 
John  Gallaway, 
James  Gibbon, 


J.  M.  P.  Gardner, 
Sloss  II.  Grinnell, 
Ed.  Giles, 
Allen  J.  Green, 
Jno.  Goodwin,  Jr. 
Geo.  H.  Geddes,    - 
Wm.  Gregory, 
Jas.  S.  Higginbotham, 
Alex.  C.  Harrison, 
Bernard  Henry, 
George  Hackley,    - 
James  Haight, 
Sewal  Handy, 
Thos.  R.  Hardenburgh, 
Philip  Henop, 
A.  J.  Hinton, 

John  D.  Henley,    • 
Seymour  Hooe, 
Alfred  Hazard, 
John  Hartley, 
J.  Montresor  Haswell, 
Theodore  Hunt,     - 
Daniel  C.  Heath,    - 
Robert  Henley, 
Ralph  Izard, 
Joseph  Israel, 
Robert  Innes, 
A.  K.  Kearney, 
Charles  Ludlow,    - 


•♦f.j'J  for/; I* I 


1  '1 


retired  in  1805. 

resigned  1806. 

resigned  1803. 

retired  in  1805. 

retired  under  peace  establishment  law, 
in  1801. 

died  in  1804. 

drowned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810. 

killed  in  battle,  a  lieutenant,  in  1804. 

d''opped  from  list.  "    '     "•''    ■ 

killed  in  battle,  in  1804. 

died,  a  master  and  commander,  1818. 

died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1818. 

died  a  captain,  1841.  ■    ',        " 

resigned  1805.  ,  * 

ninth  captain,  1846.         •    *    ';■    ■"^■ 

died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1812.         '   ' ' 

died  in  1804. 

burnt  in  Richmond  theatre,  a  lieuten- 
ant, in  1811. 

died,  a  master  commandant,  in  1815. 

retired,  a  lieutenant,  in  1807. 

resigned  1804. 

resigned  1803 

died  in  1804. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1811. 

did  not  accept. 

died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1808. 

died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1809. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1812. 

died  in  1805.  -  • 

resigned  1802.  •<  :.^.' 

resigned  1804. 

did  not  join,  and  was  dropped. 

resigned  1801. 

subsequently  discharged  under  reduc 
tion  law. 

died,  a  captain,  in  1835. 

resigned  1801. 

dismissed  in  1809.  "  t       -  |^      - 

resigned  1602.  '  ' 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810. 

resigned,  a  master  com.,  in  1811. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1805. 

died,  a  captain,  in  1828. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810. 

killed  in  battle,  in  1804. 

drowned  on  service,  in  1802. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1808. 

resigned,  a  master  com.,  in  1813. 


tlaw, 


804. 

*'  •'■  ' 

1818. 


iieuten* 
11815. 


I  n-'-- 


er  recluc- 


0. 

811. 

)5. 

0. 


08. 
1813. 


4.- 


APPENDIX. 


275 


James  T.  Leonard, 
James  Lawrence, 
William  Livingston, 
A.  B.  Lord, 
Daniel  M'Niell,  Jr. 
Joseph  Murdock, 
Louis  M'Lane, 

William  Miller,      - 
Joseph  Maxwell,    • 
Charles  Mills, 
Daniel  Murray, 
Geo.  A.  Marcellin, 
Charles  Morris,  Jr. 
Charles  Moore, 
George  Merrill, 
Archibald  M*Call, 
William  Mlntosh, 
George  Mitchell,    - 
James  Mackay, 
Thomas  M*Donough, 
Humphrey  Magrath, 
George  Mann, 
W.  R.  Nicholson, 
Jno.  B.  Nicholson, 
James  Nicholson, 
William  F.  NichoUs, 
William  Newman, 
Edward  O'Brien, 
Peter  S.  Ogilvie,    - 
Francis  Patton, 
Daniel  Polk, 
Oliver  H.  Perry,    - 
Benj.  Page, 
Octavius  A.  Page, 
Henry  Page, 
Daniel  T.  Patterson, 
George  Parker, 
Stephen  Proctor, 
States  Rutledge, 
Charles  G.  Ridgely, 
Heathcote  J.  Reed, 
George  W.  Reed, 
Charles  Reed, 
Benj.  F.  Read, 
Jos.  Richardson,    - 
John  Rowe, 
James  Renshaw,    - 
Charles  Robinson, 
Benjamin  Smith, 


.■fi, 


X 


v.-".*- 


died,  a  captain,  in  1832. 
killed  in  battle,  a  captain,  in  1813. 
resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  18€4. 
unknown. 

retired,  a  lieutenant,  in  1807. 
died  in  service, 
rebigned  in  1802 ;  afterwards  secreta* 
ry  of  state,  &c.  .  ■    .  t 

retired  in  1807.       [  '    ■ :       ' 

died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1806. 
resigned  1804. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1811. 
died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810. 
fourth  captain,  1846.  ji. 

died  in  service  early.  ,■  '    .  , 

died,  a  lieutenant,  1822.    ^ ,     .,     ., 
resigned  1802.  '     ■"    , 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1808. 
fate  unknown. 

resigned  1803.  .  J 

died,  a  captain,  in  1825. 
resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1809.    J ;' 
resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1811.    ; . 
killed  in  a  duel,  in  1805. 
resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810.   . ,,, 
resigned  1804.  ., 

resigned  1804.  .        ■ 

resigned  1803.  « 

retired  in  1804. 

lost  at  sea,  a  lieutenant,  in  1805. 
resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1806. 
resigned  1804. 

died  at  sea,  a  captain,  in  1818.      . 
resigned  1803.  ,; 

died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1813.    h 
resigned  1803. 
died  a  captain,  1841. 
died  at  sea,  a  master  com.,  in  1814. 
resigned  1803. 
resigned  1802. 
eighth  captain,  1846. 
died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1812. 
died,  a  master  com.,  in  1813. 
resigned  1806. 

died,  a  lieutenant  com.,  in  1812. 
resigned  1803. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1808. 
eleventh  captain,  1846. 
resigned  1807. 
died,  a  lieutenant,  in  1807. 


ti 


f 


!■ 


: 


f 


«  . 


276 


APPENDIX. 


Arthur  Sinclair, 
Robert  Stewart,     • 
William  Scallen,    - 
John  Shattuck, 
G.  W.  Spottawood, 
Maurice  Simons,    • 
Daniel  Simms, 
John  Shore, 
H.  Savage, 
W.  P.  Smith, 
Sidney  Smith, 
Thomas  Swartwout,  Jr. 
Robert  T.  Spence, 
Simon  Smith, 
W.  M.  Smith, 
Richard  Thomas, 
John  Trippe, 
Rob.  L.  Tilghman, 
William  Thorn,     - 
Edward  Trenchard, 
Jonathan  Thorn,  •  - 
Benjamin  Turner, 
Jacob  R.  Valk, 
Jacob  Vickery, 
Sybrant  Van  Schaick, 
A.  Woodruff, 
Daniel  Wurts, 
E.  Willis. 
Henry  Wadsworth, 
John  Wood, 
Walter  Winter,      - 
Lewis  Warrington, 
Charles  Wilson,     - 
M.  T.  Woolsey,     - 
Wallace  Wormley, 
Samuel  Woodhouse, 


1'*         ^. 


...•.Mr-' 

.,     k'.S'  ,1-' 


t* 


rf  » 


died,  a  captain,  in  1831. 
drowned,  a  lieutenant, 
resigned  1806. 
fate  unknown,  a  lieutenant, 
resigned  1803. 
declined, 
resigned  1804. 
resigned  1803. 
resigned  1801. 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1808. 
died,  a  master  com.,  in  1827. 
killed  in  a  duel,  in  1801. 
died,  a  captain,  in  1827 
died  at  sea,  in  1806.  . ,' " 

declined. 

resigned  1802.  '  '"^       '        ^ 

died,  a  lieutenant  com.,  in  1810. 
^    resigned  1802.  ;  .  ,    V 

retired  in  1805.  '  - !    , '  '  '     ' ' 

died,  a  captain,  in  1824.    ^  *  "     '    *   ", 
blown  up,  a  lieutenant,  in  1810. 
killed  in  a  duel,  a  lieut<,  in  1807 
resigned  in  1806. 
declined.  1 ' ...    ,\ 

resigned,  a  lieutenant,  in  1807.     *  J 
resigned  in  1803. 

resigned  in  1802.       .     ■"•     ■'       '^ 
drowned  in  Bay  of  Gibraltar,  1800. 
killed  in  battle,  a  lieut.,  in  1804. 
resigned  in  1804. 

drowned,  a  lieutenant,  1813.    '  , 

fifth  captain,  1846.  , . 

resigned  1803.  ,         !, 

died,  a  captain,  in  1838.        '' r, 
entered  marine  corps.  ;      ' 

died,  a  captain,  1842. 


T; 


•V-    '■  ■■<" 


END  OF  VOL.  I. 


1  ,  .•■-...;>; 


,    .       ..-  ■-  .•   -, 

,-it:-  ; 


»  •  i 


,4. ;/ 


